Episode 9: The Knights' Fall
by LunaPendragon18
Summary: *TLJ SPOILERS* The Resistance is in shatters after the battle of Crait. Their hope rests on Rey, but out of fear of loosing control of the Force she must go on a quest to accept her past. But will the answers she seek finally send her over the edge? Kylo has the galaxy at his fingertips but the balance of the Force still eludes him. Does the key really lie with the last Jedi?
1. Dreams

Rey's breath came out fast and sharp as she ran. She sprinted across the island on Ahch-To that Luke Skywalker had once called home. She ran past green peaks and disappointed islanders as the porgs screeched and fluttered away from her. Rey had no idea how long she had been running- it could have been days or just meer seconds- but she continued to run, her hazel eyes focusing on the black draped man before her. So focused was she on the man she was only vaguely aware of the grey mist that was washing in from the sea, surrounding her and blocking her way back.

The fog floated in, silent and inconsistent, licking at her feet and rolling over the land. It soon began to fold onto itself until a man stood besides her- Luke, his beard and hair neatly trimmed, his dark robes hung around him, his old staff supporting his weight. Luke's bright blue eyes followed Rey as she ran. She almost stopped when she saw him, the wound of his loss was still too fresh in her heart to ignore.

The old Jedi looked at her with his knowing eyes and his voice echoed around them like a whisper of the wind, "I've seen this raw strength only once before." He said without even opening his mouth. "It didn't scare me enough then…"

Rey took an unsteady step towards the old master but her eyes caught a glimpse of the dark shape in the distance. No, she couldn't let herself be distracted, Luke was not who she was searching for. With a glance back at the legendary Skywalker, she continued to run, each step sinking into the soft ground so that, as she ran, clumps of mud and grass were dislodged, slowing her progress.

Another form began to solidify, a regal woman in elegant dark blue robes and an almost crown-like head dress. The woman looked at Rey with familiar soft eyes, General Leia Organa, "I just never should have sent him away. That's when I lost him."

Once again, the voice of the old hero echoed around the island, like a distant whisper, barely audible, yet impossible to misunderstand.

Although Rey saw no tears in the old mother's eyes, they glistened with almost all the stars of a galaxy drowning in loss. The young woman turned her head and slowed her pace but didn't stop, the dark shape was getting ever more distant and each step now felt like she was wading knee deep in mud.

Rey kept running, her arms reaching out for the dark shape that was still so far away. Just like Luke before her, Leia soon faded into the fog, which was only getting thicker, the rising peaks and huts of the island had become almost completely obscured by it, even the screeches of the progs had become muted.

Once again another shape began to mold itself into existence, one glimpse at the faux leather jacket and ruffled silver hair and Rey just knew that, if she turned her head, Han Solo would be there, with his mischievous grin and eyes. So Rey didn't turn her head, she didn't acknowledge the ghost that haunted her dream (for she was certain this was a dream) her eyes were focused solely on the dark silhouette before her. However, Han's voice still cut through her like a knife.

"There's nothing more we could have done. There's too much Vader in him."

Rey shook her head, trying to drown out their words, she couldn't believe them... she wouldn't...she refused too! That time, that time their hands had touched, even if it was for the briefest of moments, in their Force bond, she had glanced his future. He was destined to stand besides her in the light but not as Kylo Ren, but as…

"Ben!" she yelled as she shook her head, her voice drowning out the whole world. As the word vanished from her lips so did the heaviness that constricted her movement, the fog thickened into such a mass that now it completely obscured everything other than the dark shape before her. She reached out her hand to the back that was turned towards her.

"Ben!" she yelled again and as she blinked her calloused hand grasped the material of his tunic, in one final stride the distance between them had vanished.

The material was rough under her grip and the broadness of his shoulders filled her vision. She dared herself to look up, once again starting to say his name but, just as she was about to, the man vanished from her grip, as did the ground beneath her feet. Rey began to plummet into the darkness, but it wasn't any darkness, it was that same slime covered pit from Luke's island.

Rey screamed as it engulfed her, as the darkness threatened to suffocate her.

Panting, Rey forced herself awake, her hand on her chest while the other gripped what remained of Anakin's lightsaber. She tried with all her might to calm her pulse, she knew where she was, in the cockpit of the Millenium Falcon, she could hear the snores and shuffles of what remained of the Resistance. Although she knew where she was, floating somewhere in the vastness of space, a part of her still felt as if she were falling into that endless darkness.

A soft roar startled Rey, forcing her to look up, Chewbacca was looking down at her from the captain's seat, concern leaking from his dark eyes.

"I'm ok, Chewie. Don't worry about me, I'm fine." She gave the creature a smile but both of them knew she was lying. However Chewbacca nodded his head and turned back to the steering wheel.

Rey took another breath, she had to regain her focus, if she wasn't careful Kylo Ren might find them.

Somewhere, in some remote region of the galaxy, Kylo Ren _had_ woken up, panting and in a cold sweat.

"Ben!" Rey's voice still echoed in his mind.

He punched the wall beside his bed, leaving an indent in the hard metal. Why couldn't he get that blasted girl out of his head? Not only did she haunt him in the Force but now in his dreams too? How could one woman he'd met barely a handful of times have disrupted the Force within him almost as severely as when he had murdered his own father?

That fateful day in the throne room, he saw things clearly, too clearly- he would destroy Snoke and Luke and Rey would be at his side on both occasions. Together they would finally bring balance to the Force through the vanquishing of both their pasts. He had not expected her refusal and subsequent defiance, but he would let that pass for now. Rey would be joining him one day but that was a journey she would have to travel alone.

Kylo sat back, his bare back resting on the cold metal that composed his room, his pulse had relaxed as he closed his eyes and focused. He focused on the Force and for a brief moment he felt as if he were nowhere and yet everywhere at the same time- floating in the expanse of space, swimming through the swampy waters of Naboo, digging through the sands of Tatooine. But Kylo forced his concentration on one connection in particular, in his mind he always imagined it to be some vibrant shade of gold, or a faint shade of blue. He'd wondered if the colour changed according to her mood or her relationship with the Force at the time. Kylo knew, if he tried, it would lead him to where Rey and the Resistance were hiding.

He played with the thread in his mind. Snoke had lied about the Force Connection, it's true the old Supreme Leader had made them aware of the link, but Kylo now knew that, if he had looked, it had always been there, waiting for one of them to stumble upon it. Kylo pondered the thought of using the thread to find Rey's whereabouts, their link had strengthened since the Skywalker's fall, he now had no doubt he could find her.

But for now, he let the thread vanish into the Force and he drew himself back into the material world. The time was not yet right. He would let Rey call upon their link for Kylo knew that, when she did, she would join him and the end of this war would be near.

He rested his head with the wall enjoying its coldness.

"Rey." he said her name like a breath, it both relieved and tightened the tension in his chest simultaneously, if such a thing were even possible. Why?

 **Hi! so that's the first chapter, what did you guys think? Hope you enjoyed, I'll try update ASAP but until then , reviews are more then welcome :) May the Force be with you all- LunaPendragon**


	2. Home

Rey still felt unerved after her dream, she couldn't get back to sleep. Chills ran down her spine and the words of her heros still echoed in her mind. For some reason, her hand still tingled, as if still feeling the cloth of Ben's cloak as an afterthought. As she clenched and unclenched her fist, it stung, as if she had recently punched something hard but she couldn't see any form of injury.

The young woman contemplated if a small walk along the ship's halls might settle her nerves, in the weeks since Han's death there was still much of the Millenium Falcon that she had yet to uncover. However, she resigned to sitting in the copilot's seat besides Chewbacca. A casual stroll through the ship would have caused chaos with the large number of people currently inhabiting the old ship.

Although Leia's crew has suffered many casualties, over 50 people had survived making for rather cramped living quarters. Not only that, it had been a week since they had escaped the First Order's assault and since then the Millennium Falcon had yet to lend. Fuel and food were both a problem and the reek of 50-odd bodies in that time had accumulated in the confined space. Fear and anguish also left an underlying aroma making for a rather unpleasant perfume. The residences' spirits had been quelled in their last retreat, when not a single Resistance ship had headed their call for help. Their flame had dwindled to almost extinction. They needed the spark, but that couldn't be from Leia and Rey alone.

"We need to find a place to land," whispered Rey to Chewbacca, as she swiped across the holographic map before her.

Chewbacca roared, "Yes, I am aware we don't have enough fuel to reach hyperspace." Rey scolded as her eyes scanned the list of planets- most she didn't recognise and the few she did were most likely under First Order rule. This realisation left a sour taste in her mouth.

It was then that her eyes fell on a familiar name.

"Rattatak…" she whispered as her finger hovered over the planet, according to the navigation system they had just flown past it's atmosphere.

Chewbacca gave a discouraging howl.

"I'd have to agree with the wookiee on this one." Rey almost jumped, as General Organa's whispered voice reached her.

"General!" she exclaimed.

"Couldn't sleep?" asked Leia, as she slowly made her way to Chewbacca's side, even in her tired and old state, in a thorn and dirty uniform, Leia still emitted an aura that deserved respect and authority.

"Dreams." Rey vaguely answered, she didn't think the woman would take kindly of her having dreams about her estranged son.

"Yes," Leia took the seat behind Chewbacca, as if she had claimed it as her own long ago. "Those can be both a burden and a gift."

A sadness filled the woman's voice and Rey couldn't help wonder, this woman had been in this situation so long and had lost everything in the progress, from her planet to her love to her brother and yet, even through all that, she never lost a single ounce of her hope and determination. How?

"My dear, if you are suggesting Rattatak as our landing destinatination I would severely discourage the idea." Leia said, changing the subject. "That place has a long history with the Sith from before my father's time."

Her father, Darth Vader. The thought lingered in Rey's mind for a moment before she spoke.

"Growing up I had been told the stories of Asajj Ventress and Count Dooku," Rey began to scroll slowly upwards on the map as she continued. "It was such a popular story because Rattatak wasn't too far from Jakku, the planet I was raised."

"Jakku," Leia said the word slowly, as if weighing its possible uses. "Neither side has claimed that planet since the battle of Jakku."

"Yes, since then is has been considered a near useless planet so neither side need it, so it might be the ideal spot for the Resistance to get back on its feet."

Leia pondered Rey's words for some time. "Ben is aware that this planet is your home, is he not? Would he not think to search for you there?"

Rey shook her head, "I may have lived on the planet most of my life but I never considered it my home. Ben knows I would never return to it, given the choice."

"And we aren't given any, it seems." Leia gave a small smile.

"Chewie, do we have enough fuel to get to Jakku?"

Chewbacca growled and raised his hairy paws.

"So stop complaining and set a course, " she winked at Rey. "This place is really starting to smell, if you ask me."

Jakku was a full day's travel and Chewie's landing of the vessel was a pure feat of wonder, having pulled it off with the barest amount of fuel remaining.

"I never thought I'd return to this place." Finn said from the cockpit, where he stood between Poe and Rey, looking out over the vast mass of red sand before them.

"Not the pleasantest memories, if you ask me." said Poe, bitterly. "No offence, Rey."

"None taken," She replied, her eyes still wondering over the unchanging desert.

BB-8 twirled into the room, beeping gleefully.

"He's right though, this is where I met Finn and BB." Rey gave both a small smile.

"Sure is!" though Fin gave her a somewhat awkward smile, his eyes momentarily wondered to the med bunk, where Rose was still lying unconscious. Rey didn't have to look into the Force to realise something had changed within her friend, but hopefully for the better.

"Rey, where did you have us land?" Asked Leia, scanning the nothingness before them, "I don't see any cities or towns."

Rey gave a bitter smile, "No, those are some distance off,."

When the doors of the Millenium Falcon creaked open, all the Resistance fighters capable of moving ran out, enjoying their first breath of fresh air in over a week. The sand radiated heat after a long day but the sun was near the horizon, casting large shadows of the Fallen Teeth range over the land.

While the rest of the crew stretched their weary feet and enjoyed the warmth, Rey walked away from the setting sun where, a few meters away, a single structure obscured the vast desert land- an AT-AT Walker toppled on its side. It was hard to believe that barely three weeks had passed since the last time she had set foot within it. Everything seemed to be how she left it, the Teedo hadn't dared raid it until they were certain she wouldn't return.

Three weeks… that how long she could stay away from this cursed planet.

A series of beeps pulled her out of her thoughts. "You're right BB-8, it hasn't changed a bit since we left."

"Wait, you lived in an AT-AT?" Poe's accented voice came from behind Rey.

She didn't turn around as she answered, walking towards the foot of the machine, that loomed a good head taller than her, "Jakku was the sight of a great war many decades ago, the leftover machines of both sides litter this place."

"You should really see the Starship Graveyard, it's totally epic!" chirped in Finn, excitedly, "you should have seen the three of us escape the First Order through it!"

Rey knelt on the warm sand as she dug into the base of the machine and pushed a hidden button. A door fell to the ground with a thump, revealing an entrance.

"I get the impression your time here wasn't the easiest." Leia's soft voice came from right beside her as she felt a reassuring hand on Rey's shoulder.

"I did what I had to to survive," said Rey, _as I waited for the parents that never came._ She didn't say that last part out loud.

Brushing the sand from her knees she turned to face the survivors, those that had dismounted the Falcon were slowly wondering towards the AT-AT Walker as if afraid it might rise and shoot at them.

"It isn't much." She yelled to the crowd, "but we can rest here, tomorrow, before dawn, we can head to the Niima Outpost, stock up on supplies."

The crowd wearily cheered and slowly the sun began to vanish. The AT-AT walker probably never had so many lanterns lit at once, in all the years Rey had lived within it alone, she had never used more than one at a time but, that evening, all were lit.

Rey wouldn't describe the Resistance as jubilant, they were battered and tired and worn-out but she could now see that spark in their eyes, the joy of being alive another night and able to see the stars above them. They divided what remained of the food and water amongst themselves. From within her home, Rey pulled out a medium sized barrel of water, one she had been saving in case a sand storm prevented her from heading to the Outpost. So relieved were the Resistance fighters with it none even bothered mention it's stale aftertaste.

From the walker and the Falcon blankets were distributed amongst the weary men and women, although the desert night was bitterly chilly, most prefered to sleep outside in the fresh air that evening. Most were already asleep as Rey sat in her makeshift nest within the AT-AT, in her hand she held her little doll made of scraps of material. How often had she pretended that doll was a Jedi sent to save her? How strange it now felt to her, now that she possessed such astounding powers herself.

"I remember Luke once had one of these when he was younger." Rey looked up, unsurprised to see the old general looming over her. For a second Rey thought she was referring to the doll, until she realized Leia was holding her rebel helmet. It's white and orange paint was scraped and peeling and its protective glass was cracked beyond use.

"I used to pretend I was a pilot when I was young, " Rey gave Leia a whimsical look, "and that I'd someday fly away from this planet."

With her free hand, Leia traced the white lines that had been scraped into the wall, thousands upon thousands of lines, each one representing a day spent on Jakku, would Rey have to add another scrape in the morning?

"It took much courage for you to suggest we take refuge her." Leia commented.

Rey shrugged, " it was the best option."

"In more ways than one."

"What do you mean?"

"If my memory serves, the Galactic Empire had a base on this planet, as well as an imperial weapons facility, right?"

"Yes, that's right." said Rey, absentmindedly. "They're found beyond the Graveyard, but very few scavengers go there because they say some of the weapons might still be armed."

"That's some of the best news I've heard in awhile." Leia said, causing Rey to raise an eyebrow. "Think about it Rey... what if we could make the base operational once again? Scavenge this old battlefield for weapons and machines…?"

"You're thinking of turning Jakku into a base for the Resistance?" Rey finished, understanding the general's trail of thought.

"Do you have any objections?" countered Leia, putting the helmet down on the floor.

"No," Rey finally answered, "it's good to see this planet come to some use."

 **So that's the second chapter done :D hope you're liking the story so far and feel free to leave a review about the good, the bad and the meh ;) I'll try update ASAP but until then, may the Force be with you all! - LunaPendragon**


	3. Knights

There was no concept of day and night in space. Crew members worked according to shifts, some being dangerously long, especially in times of crisis. However they worked according to this like a well-oiled machine, timing their sleep and work times perfectly. This ensured that the battlecruiser was always efficiently run.

Despite this, Kylo Ren always rose an hour before his designated waking time. This was just a small taste of the discipline his old masters had drilled into him. He'd usually spend that time in meditation but that day, thanks to Ray's callings in his dreams, he knew he wouldn't be able to sleep.

He'd steadied his breath and as he concentrated once again, his mind continued to wander towards that thread, it was no longer gold but a dark shade of red. Sighing, Kylo broke his cocntration. He refused to let his mind wonder and discover Rey's location. He refused to do so, she would call to him when the time was right. He'd let her realise that the only way to bring Balance would be to be by his side.

Unfortunately, it was still hours before he was scheduled to wake but he refused to sit idly inside his room. In silence he put on his padded jacket and clipped his lightsaber to his belt. Kylo looked down at his hand in mild surprise as he felt a tinge of pain erupt from his knuckles. They were bleeding from when he had punched the wall earlier, so distracted had he been by his thoughts he hadn't realised. With a slightly irritated sigh he swiftly wiped away the drying blood and wrapped it in a clean cloth before forcing his gloves on.

Without a sound, Kylo left his room, his mind set on his destination. Stormtroopers saluted as he walked past, but he barely acknowledged them, they would be obsolete soon. He headed to the Supreme Ruler's throne room- his throne room- a mantle he would soon abolish when the Resistance was ultimately vanquished.

The room hadn't changed in the week since Kylo's ascension. The throne still loomed in the centre but the corpses of the Red Guard and Snoke had been tucked away in the houl, to be disposed of appropriately when possible. Kylo would have to replace the Red Guard in time, to replace Snoke's mindless followers with his own, but he hoped to end this war before that would be needed.

Kylo looked around the cold room, how often had Snoke overlooked his training within this very room? How often had he been punished for his failure or for not reaching Snoke's expectations of him? It was in this very room that he had accepted the vow of the Order of Ren and it was here that the knights had acknowledged his leadership over their small sect. It was in this room that he had come to terms with the conflict within him.

It was here that he had fought back to back with Ray.

It had been here that she had defied him.

His eyes wandered to a small cylinder that lied, broken, on the throne's seat. With a few sweeping steps, Kylo covered the distance and grasped the object in his gloved hand.

The saber of Anakin Skywalker.

Of his grandfather.

Of Darth Vader.

In a pure battle of Force and will between himself and Ray the hilt had broken in half each side flying to a side of the Force, being unable to decide which side was stronger. It would only be whole when one side won, or both sides were destroyed- no Light, no Dark, just the the Force- just as it had been before the Sith and Jedi orders had been founded.

Only then would the hilt be reunited.

"Supreme Leader." Kylo was not startled by the voice, he had been expecting them to arrive any day now. He lowered what remained of the hllt back onto the throne as he turned to face hs audience.

The Knights of Ren, each a man or woman trained in the Dark Side of the Force. Five individuals draped in black, each one in a slight alteration to his own helmets fully covered their faces, each their own tribute to the great Darth Vader. Each one just as terrifying and each one with their own horrific skillset.

All five bowed before Kylo and after a minute they all rose in unison. Kylo had fought alongside these individuals for over a decade, some as far back as his time under the tutorage of Luke Skywalker.

"Supreme Leader, Kylo Ren." They addressed him, each voice obscured by their helmets, making them sound inhuman.

There was no one in the galaxy that Kylo trusted the most and the least then the five people before him.

"Welcome back." Kylo greeted, it had been many months since the Knights had stood together in the same room. Snoke had sent each member to his or her own corner of the galaxy, enforcing the First Order's reign in their respective areas. All had been sent from Snoke's side, all but Kylo Ren, their leader. He had been constantly under Snoke's gaze- and that served to be Snoke's downfall.

"The rumours appear to be true," a woman's voice purred from the central individual, "Snoke has fallen."

"And the First Order is under your control," a man's voice continued.

"Isne Ren, Todo Ren, I assure you, my royalties still lie with my Knights."

"Is it true? The Jedi fowling ended him?" another woman's voice hissed, Wkyt Ren didn't even try to hide her suspicions.

"Yes, the Force is strong in her." Kylo countered.

"And yet you survived." Wkyt Ren continued.

"Unharmed it may seem." A man's voice added. Kylo could feel their mistrust and anger suffocating the Force around them.

Their had been a time when the six of them had been linked, almost as one, in the Force. But with their departure things had changed, they had had too. That bond, Kylo suspected, had been another of Snoke's doing in an aim to make six very different people work together, to accomplish his tasks without failure or question. But now, after finally _really_ seeing that bond, he realised just how brittle it had been.

With little effort Kylo emitted an aura of calm, unlike his Knights, his turmoil had been quelled, he knew what he must do now. But he also knew that, if the Knights learnt of his real intentions they would rise to counter him. Though Kylo knew he was the most powerful of all the Knights, they had numbers and skill in their favour and he was not foolish enough to underestimate their combined forces.

"Have you all travelled here to question my authority?" Kylo roared. He could feel the Force welling up in him, that raw strength that had so frightened his first master so severely. It felt like a high pressure gas cylinder ready to explode. But he wouldn't let it, he released just enough for it to seep into his voice, forcing some of the more sensitive Knights to take a weary step back. Kylo then quickly closed that cylinder inside him, suppressing all that power just begging to be released, just as it had been doing all his life.

"We have come to pay our respects to our master." Todo calmly said, unphased.

"To exact our revenge on the Jedi." Added Isne , returning to her place.

"And finally snuff out the Resistance," finished Wkyt stepped forward from the rest of the group. "Once and for all."

"Then rest until we find where the Resistance is hiding. They have nowhere to hide, their allies have abandoned them to their faith." Kylo concluded. "Your chambers remain how you left them before your deployment."

The group looked up at Kylo, and the Supreme Leader dared any of them to disobey him.

"Very well, Supreme Leader." Wkyt finished and the five masked individuals bowed and vanished out of the throne room in a orchestra of sweeping cloaks. When the last Knight exited Kylo sighed and turned to face Vader's hilt once again.

"They mistrust me and they do not even try to hide it." He muttered, reaching out to grasp the hilt again, but he retracted his hand quickly. Somehow a spark had erupted between Kylo and the hilt.

"Ben Solo…" a disembodied voice hissed.

"Rey." He muttered looking around.

No that's voice wasn't hers... but then...who's was it?

 ***Queue suspenseful music!* And that's another one wrapped! What do you think of the story so far? Enjoying it? Or is it cliche and boring? Feel free to drop a review I always love hearing from you guys, even on how I could improve the story. I've got most of the plot planned out but I'm always open to suggestions ;). Will update ASAP but until then, may the Force be with you!- LunaPendragon.**


	4. Graveyard

Rey could barely believe her eyes.

"D-did this happen because of us?" Finn stammered as he looked around at what remained of the Niima Outpost. Huts were smashed and burnt, ships and vehicles toppled on their sides or in pieces... and the bodies… the bodies had been picked clean by the natural scavengers of the land and what remained were already whitewashed by Jakku's unrelenting sun.

Rey scanned the mess before her in the early morning light. She knew she had escaped the Outpost as it was being barraded by the First Order, but she had never imagined that they'd totally exterminated this little collection of huts Jakku had once called a town. She tried to look at the remains that were scattered, but they were beyond recognition.

BB-8 came rolling up besides her, leaving a trail in the sand, and beeped disdainfully.

"This all happened because of us..." Rey's voice trailed. _This all happened because of a nobody_ …

But as quickly as the thought had formed in her mind, she tucked it away. She couldn't think about that right now.

With a shaky breath Rey closed her eyes and dipped her mind into the Force. She could feel insects digging into the sand miles away, rustling movements around the Millenium Falcon, travelling Teebo beyond Fallen Teeth and at the Niima Outpost...no life remained (other than that that had arrived with her).

"Let's get what we need and get out of here." Rey's voice cracked on the first word and the sand shifted slightly at her feet.

"But shouldn't we check for survivors?" One of the Resistance suggested, Rey couldn't recognise the gruff voice.

"There are none." She simply answered.

"Rey…" Finn's voice was full of sympathy for his friend as he reached out a reassuring hand to her but, before it could be accepted, Rey silently began to walk towards the remains of the Concession Stand.

"Is she ok?" asked a Resistance fighter, Finn had probably seen her around but couldn't recall her name. He looked down as the older woman and noticed she was looking at Rey wearily, as if expecting her to suddenly turn and attack them.

"This was her home, cut her some slack," he answered bitterly. He hated the fact that some of the crew were frightened of Rey, even after she had saved them back on Crait. Some where this frightened just because she'd moved a few rocks using the Force, perish the thought they ever saw her use the Force in battle.

Finn continued to follow Rey with his eyes, even when the Resistance woman had left his side to search through the village's remains. The Jedi walked with purpose, never wavering from her destination but he could feel something changing inside his friend, like she was shutting herself off- but if that was due this dreaded planet or because of some unknown event that had happened at Ach-To, he was unsure.

During their week in space he had questioned her about Ach-To and her confrontation with Kylo Ren...

"Snoke is dead." Was the only answer she would give him.

Obviously, with an answer like that, Finn couldn't help worry for his friend. He was already scared that Rose might never wake up, he didn't want to think of Rey shutting herself off from him too.

Finn was about to call to her again but he bit his tongue as he noticed the little sand spirals that were erupting around her feet. If you weren't paying attention you wouldn't notice them so, thankfully. none of the Resistance did but Finn _had_ noticed…

Was Rey struggling with the Force?

He cursed to himself as he ran towards her, just as she took her first into what remained of the Concession Stand.

"Rey!" Finn called, causing Rey to look around in surprise.

"Did you find something?" She quickly asked.

"No," he panted, as he came to a clumsy halt before her. "You sure you're ok?"

She gave him a quizzical, slightly confused look.

Finn shrugged, not sure how to answer to that.

"Well, the sooner we get out of here the better," She looked up at the sky. "We should find some food and water quick, and head back."

Finn made as if to say something else, that wasn't the type of answer he was looking for but instead replied, "I'll go see if any of these ships can still fly, or maybe they have some gas- anything that could get the Falcon flying again."

She nodded her head and turned her back on her friend, returning to her search.

Unkar Plutt had built his stand well, surprisingly, most of it was still standing and intact. Scraps of metal the Crolute had collected over the years had protected the stand from the First Order, or it hadn't been hit head on by any missiles. Both options seemed feasible.

On careful inspection, it seemed that no one had been here since the attack. Scraps of traded machinery still lied haphazardly within the first room- converter flasks, hyperspeed cylinders, control valves- Rey's hand swept over them, putting a few into her bag, thinking they might be needed them at a later date.

She continued to look through the shelves, pushing past unneeded trades, until she found what she was looking for- Food Packs. Rey's hand travelled over their airtight plastic coverings, some had been damaged during the attack and insects had already long attacked those, but the mass majority were, thankfully, intact.

Without a second thought she began to throw the sealed packs into her bag. So many years scavenging the Graveyard to earn a few of these measly packs. Back then, it had been for her survival, now it was the survival of the Resistance. The bag she'd brought with her couldn't even hold half the packs Unkar had stocked, which made Rey feel bitter at the Crolute's stinginess. She'd have to come around another time to collect the rest, though she estimated she'd collected enough food to feed Leia's crew for a few days.

Water, they'd need that sooner.

The few times she'd had enough to trade with Unkar, the water had come in the form of barrels from the backroom. Rey cursed when she made her way toward said room, the ceiling had collapsed but, fortunately, majority of the barrels were still intact.

She made to walk towards them when she tripped on something hard that had been protruding from under the collapsed pile. The young Jedi looked down and, in her shock, caused the barrels in the room to shake, one even blew its top, showering her in lukewarm water. She'd tripped over one of Unkar Plutt boots! It seemed not even the trader had escaped the attack.

Rey closed her eyes and pushed her surprise to the back of her mind, trying to regain control of the Force. Why was this happening all of a sudden? Why was she struggling so much to keep control of the Force?

She closed her eyes again, raised her hands and concentrated as she moulded the Force around to suit her needs. As she opened her eyes, taking careful breaths, she slowly saw the barrels of water began to float off the ground. With sweat already beading at her temples, she began to walk backwards, out of the hut, the barrels following in her wake.

"Nice haul!" Called Finn, running towards her, a broad smile on his glistening face. With some effort, she carefully placed the barrels on the sand, "Though I think I win this round."

"I didn't know it was a competition." half smiled Rey.

"Well if it were, I would have won." Finn laughed, pointing towards a medium sized scouting vessel the Resistance were already scouring around. Its paint had long since faded, leaving it a unflattering shade of pink. Rust creeped out of its joints and sand coated the cockpit windows like a second skin.

"Does it work?" Rey couldn't help feel surprised at Finn's discovery but, then again, they had found the Millennium Falcon, fueled and working, at this very Outpost.

Poe's head peeked out from the cockpit window, a broad grin on his face, "She won't be taking us to any other planets but she can make our trip around this one a lot easier!"

As if to prove his point, Poe's head disappeared back into the old ship and the engine revved to life, causing the Resistance to cheer.

"This is just the first step in getting the Resistance back on its feet." Rey noted, a small smile playing on her face.

Finn continued to beam at her, "And between you and the general, the hope of the Resistance will burn once again!"

"R-right," Rey's smile faltered as she turned to face the barrels. "Better, get these on board then."

"Do you need any help with that?" offered Finn, already walking towards them.

"No need," was her reply, shooting him a mischievous smile as she extended her arms and concentrated. "I've got this covered."

And, still smirking, she began to lead the barrels onto the ship's musty cargo-bay.

"Show-off!" Finn loughed, running after her just as the last of the crew and equipment was loaded. The ship's door sealed shut behind him.

"Let's see if this baby can do more than purr!" called Poe from the pilot seat. BB-8 beeped excitedly as he began to push buttons and turn levers.

"Do you actually know how to drive this?" jumped in Finn, taking the co-pilot's seat.

"Well, they don't call me the best pilot in the Resistance for nothing!"

And with one last button the ship roared to life and staggered unevenly into the air, causing a number of people to stagger sideways. With a quick twist of the wheel and a few more adjustments, the ship slowly began to balance out.

"Oh man, you did it!" yelled Finn, "Isn't that great Rey?"

Rey shot her friend a distracted smile as he hit the pilot on the shoulder, playfully. Poe made some sarcastic comment Rey couldn't hear and, with some skill, he adjusted a few more levers and the ship began to zoom forward, a storm of dust erupting around them.

Rey felt uneasy where she stood, at the entrance of the cockpit. Although her friends where within her reach, she felt further than they had when she'd traveled to Ach-To. It felt like she'd crossed some unknown line back on that island and her world had become _a lot_ larger than the one her friends knew…

The journey that had taken them hours that morning was finished in barely one, just as the sun began to take cover behind Jakku's jagged mountain range. The Resistance on land stepped back wearily as they saw the scout ship attempt a rather shaky landing on the sand, some even retreated back in the Millenium Falcon. But when Poe stuck out his head in greeting the Resistance cheered and rushed to the opening cargo doors, eagerly helping to retrieve the supplies that had been brought in.

The food was rationed and expected to last at least a week, if no emergencies propped up, which they most probably would. However, the Resistance survivors laughed and joked that evening, in front of half a dozen small fires they had had built out of unusable scraps found within the scout ship (or Elpis, as Poe had taken to calling it).

Rey set in front of a small fire between the general and Finn, as she played with the small piece of food in her hand. She wasn't paying much attention to the conversations flying around their campfire and her eyes kept on lingering on the horizon.

She was brought back to reality as, shakily, Leia got to her feet. She didn't even need to clear throat for the small group to fall silent- she had their full and undivided attention. Rey momentarily wondered how the old woman was capable of doing such things without manipulating the Force. She'd heard stories of the great Princess Leia Organa but, after having fought and worked besides her, Leia was more than just history, she was a living legend.

"Thank you all who braved the desert to bring this feast to our camp. It may not be a meal worthy of royalty, but the company far exceeds that." Some of the survivors laughed, while others cheered at her words. "Take this time to recover and rest, it is well earned, but our battle with the First Order is far from over."

Leia shot Rey a quick glance, the latter giving the old general a quick nod.

"Jakku has been kept out of this war up till now, but I believe it has the potential to help us- as a Resistance stronghold." Her words caused a cascade of whispered comments and Rey could make out the crew's sudden agitation in the Force. "An Empire base lies just beyond that mountain range, it may still be intact from the Battle of Jakku and so may hold valuable resources that we desperately need."

"Are you proposing we travel to an _Empire_ base on the _possibility_ of it being useful?" an unseen voice said, quickly merging back into the shadows before he could be recognised.

"An what of the sick and injured?" called another, also disappearing into the crowd.

"That's why I propose that I'll lead a small group of volunteers." she continued, "we'd take the scout ship and check the remains."

Her words caused an instant turmoil of emotion but one thing was clear to Rey, no one wanted the general to go.

"Excuse me, General," Rey quickly said, getting to her feet to stand beside the older woman, "I think you should remain here with the rest of your fighters. I'll take the ship and I'll scout the area."

The crowd fell silent but the Force spoke volumes. The instant Rey had stood up another emotion had seeped into the air- fear. The weary look Leia shot her men told Rey that even she had felt the shift.

"Well if Rey's going, I'm going too." Chipped in Finn, unphased.

"You two are going to need a pilot then." Added Poe, also getting to his feet besides Leia.

BB-8 beeped his agreement.

The three youths looked at Leia, determination clear in their eyes. She smiled sadly to herself, remembering another time when she'd have been the one volunteering with Han and Luke at her side.

Leia nodded her consent, solemnly.

 **That's probably the longest chapter I've had to write in a long time, but couldn't split it up or it would mess up the Kylo story XD so what do you guys think?i hope you're enjoying the story so far but feel free to leave a review about the good, the bad and the meh ;) I'll try update soon but, until then, may the force be with you!- Luna Pendragon**


	5. Traitor

"Ben Solo..." The remnants of the voice still echoed around the room, or was it speaking from inside Kylo's mind?

A quick inspection of the area, both physically and through the Force, revealed that no one else was in the room...but then, where was the voice coming from? And, more importantly, whose was it? It had been too deep to be a woman's, and he was certain he'd never heard it before...but it spoke his name with such familiarity…

He looked down at his hand, even though they were gloved, his fingers still pricked slightly from when the hilt had shocked him. He looked back at the broken metal, had the voice spoken because he'd tried to pick it up? But then, why now? He'd studied the hilt many times since his ascension, why would it react now?

Curiosity overwhelmed him in that instant and, with a steady hand, he reached out to the hilt and gripped it tightly. He closed his eyes and focused- there is was, a slight shift in the Force, but nothing more significant than that and, this time, no voice spoke.

 _It must have been my imagination_ , thought Kylo, releasing a held breath and slowly opening his eyes.

However they opened wide when he saw someone standing besides the throne where none had been standing before. A man with curled, light brown hair and brooding light blue eyes in the traditional attire of a Jedi. He wore a single leather glove that vanished within his dark sleeve and a scar spread across the right side of his face, making his glare more formidable and dark. A light blue edge seemed to frame his body.

"Uhim!"

So taut was Kylo from the man's sudden appearance, he dropped the hilt and turned, crimson lightsaber already drawn.

"I didn't mean to surprise you, Supreme Leader." Hux said, mockingly.

Kylo glared at the man before shooting a quick glance back- the scarred man had vanished and the hilt was once again resting on the throne.

Since Snoke's end, Kylo had had the displeasure of spending ever more time with the general. He'd been following Kylo around the ship like an irritating fly, observing his every move and criticising his every order.

Not only was his behaviour irritating, something deeply bothered Kylo about the man. Before, under Snoke's leadership, Kylo had never considered Hux more than a dog, eagerly following his master's orders. But with Snoke's suffocating presence totally removed from the ship, Hux's presence within the Force had deeply disturbed him. Outside the Knights of Ren, very few of the First Order were even remotely Force Sensitive but even they left ripples in the Force- but not Hux. He left no mark on the Force, as if he was walking above it, rather than through it like the rest of them… or he was somehow shutting myself off from it.

"Why was I not noted of the Knights arrival?!" Kylo ordered, glaring at the ginger, not even attempting to hide his irritation.

"I did," answered Hux. "But you were not in your room."

The two men continued to glare at each other, Kylo clearly understanding the others meaning- it was Kylo's fault that he hadn't been told about the Knights return.

"Very well, your work is done then, I've already met them."

"Sr, they are not the only ones who wish to commune with you." Kylo raised an eyebrow at Hux's statement. "The war council is also meeting in the Council room."

Kylo didn't even try to suppress his fury as a blast of energy emitted from the man, sending Hux flying into the wall. Kylo left the throne room without a second glance at the general.

He walked through the intricate maze of passages across the battlecruiser in such a fury that the crew and stormtroopers took several steps back before saluting. The Supreme Leader only stopped with his stride when he was right in front of the council room. He took a steadying breath trying to calm his mind as he pulled at his jacket.

 _Never enter a discussion ready for a fight, because you'll get one you probably won't win._

Kylo cursed to himself, why had he remembered that silly lesson his mum had told him decades ago? That being said, he quelled some of his anger as he walked into the small council room.

Small was a subjective word. Compared to the rest of the battlecruiser the room was small, but compared to most other rooms aboard it was large and spacious. A holographic image of the galaxy filled up the mass majority of the dimmed chamber. Clusters of coloured dots composed the miniature galaxy- unclaimed planets, and those under the First Order and the Resistance were distinguished.

However, this map showed not only the solar systems but also the the positions of every First Order ship, as well as all the known positions of what remained of the Resistance fleet. Just as he was walking, in a collage of red dots surrounded a blue one and, within a second, it vanished from the hologram. Another Resistance ship had fallen.

It was safe to say that the red dots severely outnumbered the blue but one vital piece had yet to be found- the Millennium Falcon.

"It's nice of you to finally grace us with your presence." Kylo's head snapped upwards, becoming fully aware of six pairs of eyes scrutinising his entrance.

"Senior Generals." Kylo acknowledged, bowing his head slightly at the holographic images. These were six of the First Order's most experienced members, some having even fought for his grandfather half a century before.

It was a group of deified war heroes with greying hairs and wrinkles that would now prefer giving orders rather then follow them. "Please excuse my tardiness, General Hux has only just informed me of this meeting."

"So, are you aware of the reason behind this session?" An old woman's voice creaked, her skin was dark and wrinkles crossed her brow like a web- Senior General Barix

"I assumed it was to discuss Snoke's death." Said Kylo, raising his head to look up at the images.

"Only partly right." leered a Neimoidian, Senior General Jairu, his green skin was fading into grey with age. "Apart from that, we are also here to discuss your self proclaimed title of Supreme Leader."

The other Senior Generals nodded their heads. So that was the reason for this session, one of them wanted to claim leadership of the First Order.

"Very well," he answered through gritted teeth. "As I had written in the report, we apprehended the Jedi fledgling in the landing bay and I, along with a handful of stormtroopers took her to Snoke. There, Snoke dismissed the stormtroopers so that, in the throne room, Snoke, his Red Guard, and myself were with the prisoner. I also gave Snoke her weapon and he placed besides his throne.

"Here, Snoke attempted to torture the location of Skywalker out of her but, before either one of us realised, she'd subtly rotated her weapon and ignited it, cutting Snoke in half. Following this, an instant battle arose, myself and the Red Guard against the girl. I was knocked out at some point in the battle and when I came to the Red Guard had been exterminated, and the prisoner had escaped."

"So you'd have us believe that one, barely trained in the Jedi arts, out-matched not only yourself and the Red Guard, but also outsmarted Supreme Leader Snoke?" Jairu shook his head at Kylo's words.

"The Force is strong in her," Was kylo's answer. "It was a brute strength none of us had ever witnessed."

"Careful child, it almost sounds like you admire her." Barix sneered, leaning towards her screen.

"No, I do not admire her." Kylo said, thinking back vaguely to all his meetings with Rey in the Force. He was right, admire was not the right word to describe these peculiar emotions. "I know not to underestimate."

"So tell me this," Kylo's head tilted to face the new Senior General addressing him, a bald man with an impressive black and white beard, Senior General Vuo. "From what you've told us, she found no problems killing the Supreme Leader, so why were you spared that day?"

"I believe it is due my bloodline." Kylo swiftly answered, he'd thought of his explanation of that day's events very thoroughly. "She has met both my parents and my uncle so it is of my belief that is was my Solo-Skywalker name that stopped her blade."

Most of the council nodded their head, believing that a Jedi would spare an enemy's life for such sentimental reasons. This was a concept that the holographic images before Kylo would find impossible to comprehend.

"Yes, your words agree with the report sent to us." Jairu nodded his head, reluctantly. "So now the second debate on the table- your position as Supreme Leader."

"I see no reason to debate that, " Kylo Said.

"Well no, of course _you_ wouldn't but a simple soldier…"

"I was no simple Soldier!" interrupted Kylo, losing his cool slightly. "I am the head of the Knights of Ren. I was under Snoke's direct tutorage and the one he directly trained to succeed him."

"Setting that aside, you just don't have the experience…." Tried again Jairu, his large orange eyes bugging slightly.

Kylo interrupted again, "I have been on the front lines almost since this war began. Your council of Senior Generals haven't raised a weapon since Lord Vader's fall. I have seen the enemy with my own eyes. I have seen how they fight and that makes me the ideal person to finally bring an end to the Resistance."

"Insolence!" Yelled Jairu, getting to his feet. "Snoke never thought you your place! He filled your head with delusions of grandeur. This council refuses to submit to a child! Just because your grandfather was legendary, Kylo Ren, that does not make y…!"

The Neimoidian made a choking sound, his mouth wide as he began to claw at his neck, though nothing was there. The rest of the council shifted uncomfortably as they noticed Kylo's outstretched hand, his smouldering eyes strangling the Senior General.

"Not since… over the communication link?" Barix looked at her fellow council members, but all were too shocked to answer.

"Jairu, Darth Vader may have been a great Sith Lord," snarled Kylo, causing the General to gurgle in panic, unable to breath. "But he held barely half my power over the Force."

Slowly he made eye contact with every one of the council members before stopping his gaze on the still choking Neimoidian "Democracy died with Galactic Republic, Senior General."

And with gritted teeth he lowered his hand. Jairu gasped for breath, almost falling back from where he sat. He coughed and gagged and wiped at his watering eyes before looking up.

"Y-y-yes, S-Sup-supreme Leader-ugh" Coughed Jairu, bowing his head.

"Any other objections?" Kylo dared, but no-one in the council could meet his eyes. "Good, I want a message sent out from each Counselor to the whole First Order fleet pledging their allegiance to me- within the hour."

The council nodded their heads in fear.

While the war council was meeting, the Knights of Ren, too, were busy. The small group stood around the makeshift coffin within which the remains of their Master lied. His eyes were closed and his skin was stretched thin as if, in death, it would eventually stretch to reveal the skeleton beneath. The smell of decay was stifling but, with there helmets secured, the Knights paid it no head.

"The injuries agree with Kylo's story." Todo said, matter-of-factly, removing his gloved hand from the corps's chest. "The Force echoe coincides with a death brought about by a lightsaber."

"But was it one wielded by the Light or the Dark?" enquired Wkyt, looking up at her follow Knight, like the rest, their masks forbid them from seeing each others facing, making them reliant on their presences in the Force, a medium nearly impossible to lie with.

Todo shook his head, causing the other Knights to shuffle uncomfortably. "It's a mix of Light and Dark, but what can be expected from a weapon that has belonged to both sides?"

"Wkyt, I think you better let this go. We'll observe Kylo for the time being. If his actions betray Snoke or the First Order we will deal with him- swiftly." Said Isne, before turning to her other comrades. "Let us rest for the time being, we do not know when we will be needed."

And with a silent nod, the Knights of Ren made their way out of the haul… all but Wkyt. She walked and stood besides her master's decaying head and looked down at his solemn face, even in death he didn't look at peace.

"Master," she murmured. "You always thought us to use our instincts… and mine are telling me something is wrong… the others are blind to it… but we can't trust Kylo…"

"It's good to know that I'm not the only one who thinks so."

Wkyt spun on her heels, lightsaber in hand, her eyes focusing on the source. Out of the shadow General Hux casually walked out.

"Why does everyone insist on threatening me with their lightsabers today?"

"How long have you been there?" she exclaimed, surprised that neither she nor the other knights had sensed the general's presence.

"That is unimportant." Hux calmly said, his hands behind his back as he walked towards the Knight. "You'll be more interested in how I can help you find out the truth."

 **Hi! Sorry that took a bit long to write but I had to keep re-writing it because it wasn't sounding right :3 I hope it was worth the wait and thank so much for reading. What do you guys think of the plot so far? Throw me a review, I love to hear from you! I'll try update as soon as possible but I prob won't until after Christmas now. But, until then, happy Christmas to you and may the Force be with you all :) - Luna Pendragon**


	6. Fear

"Left!" yelled Finn, his eyes darting to said direction as he gripped the hand rest of his chair, struggling to say in place as the Poe forced the ship to swivel to the left.

"No, right!" yelled Rey, gripping the pilot seat's headrest as Poe followed her command. Neither youth seemed to be correct as a massive worm-like creature emerged directly from below them, crashing into the old ship with unbelievable force.

"Unless either one of you actually has anything useful to say, zip it!" shouted Poe in outrage. The pilot began to push almost all the buttons on the deck and forced the wheel around, causing the ship to spiral 360, exactly missing another creature's attack. "Rey, care to enlighten us on our new assailants?!"

Poe's eyes fixed to the right, causing the ship to swivel left just as another creature erupted from the ground. Its ambers eyes were the same colour as the early morning sun, the creature's body was reddish-grey in color, with a brown mantle covering the upper half of the body, like some natural armour. It had stout red legs protruding from each segment. However, it's maw was the most impressive and terrifying part, the mouth was encased in hundreds of razor-sharp teeth and was filled with almost as many blue tongues.

"Nightwatcher Worms!" Rey shouted, as she continued to grip the headrest. "They live in the sand and eat junk!"

"So why are they chasing us?" called Finn, something crashed at the back of the ship with a confused beep. BB-8 was going to be pretty battered if they did get out of this soon.

"Because we're in a flying piece of junk!" Yelled Poe, swivelling once again. He tried to gain altitude but the ship just refused to rise past the creatures' reach.

"Rey, can't you use some Jedi mind trick to get them to leave us alone?!" Finn asked, throwing his friend a near desperate look..

"Those "mind tricks" only work on sentient beings!" was her answer, shooting him an irritated look.

"Quiet you two!" Poe yelled crossly, pulling a lever and causing the ship to plummet close to the ground in a sharp fall. A number of massive worms erupted from all around them, ready to finish them off but with a number of blurred hand movements, the scout ship broke its decline and rapidly began to ascend as the worms squirmed and knotted themselves below, snapping at the ship that had eluded them.

"Nice one!" Finn cheered.

"We should be exiting the Starship Graveyard right…about..." Rey paused as her eyes scanned the sand mountains on either side of them, they passed by one final stardestroyer and the mountains instantly vanished. Now, almost totally undisturbed sand surrounded then. "Now."

"Remind me to never go sightseeing across Jakku," sighed Poe, as he leveled out the scout ship, allowing it to cruise noisily through the air, attracting the attention of some traveling Teedo.

BB-8 came rolling into the cockpit, bumping into the walls multiple times, disorientated as it beeped indignantly.

"You're right BB-8, I know being chased by the First Order had been a lot easier." Finn slumped his shoulders, finally relaxing.

Rey smiled distractedly as she scanned the horizon. They had left camp before dawn that morning to a rather solemn farewell, the Resistance emitting rather mixed feelings about the quest and their little group of explorers. The general seemed unphased by this, however, and had wished them luck on their travels. Unfortunately, since then, the trip had been anything but smooth sailing.

"Over there." Observed Rey, pointing to a small, barely visible, mass on their left.

Poe nodded his head as he guided the ship to sharply turn, the Empire base began to zoom into existence. It spread below them like a small city, with an exceptionally thick wall protecting the collection of buildings and a watch tower placed every few meters, making the base seem impressively impenetrable from land. The infrastructure appeared to be made of a light, reddish stone, making it almost perfectly blend into its surrounding. You wouldn't have noticed it unless you'd _really_ had been looking for it.

Poe guided the scout ship around the perimeter of the base. Fortunately it appeared almost perfectly intact, except for a few collapsed ceilings and the wear of time and the desert sun. After a few rounds the team noticed a small, sand-covered landing port. The pilot landed their vessel without any trouble.

BB-8 was the first one off the ship as the cargo doors opened, beeping irritably.

"Hey!" called out Poe, switching off the engine and running after the droid. "Mind your language! It wasn't my driving but the massive worms' fault if you got dented!"

Both Finn and Rey tried to suppress their laughter as they joined the bickering duo outside. A warm wind whipped their faces and sand flew into their mouths, unpleasantly.

Finn looked around, giving a low whistle, barely audible over the wind. "This place _has_ been deserted for years!"

"Like I said." Rey began to look around. She'd never actually been inside the ancient base. She had walked around it's walls many times but she never was able of looking beyond that. "Rumours have it that the place is still armed."

"Rumours?" Finn's head turned to the woman. "Hasn't anyone ever checked it out?"

"Oh they have, but no one's ever returned to tell the tale." she answered, nonchalantly.

Finn cringed, "Very… pleasant."

Rey stopped and began to brush away sand from the side-panel of the closest set of doors. She smiled to herself as she uncovered a rusty computer port.

"BB-8!" she called over the wind. "Come check this out! see if this place can be useful."

Giving Poe one last indignant beep, BB-8 rolled towards the Scavenger, leaving a trail in the shallow sand that coated the concrete landing site. With the faint sound of swirling gears the droid extended a corresponding computer drive and plugged it into the port.

"Well? Anything?" asked Finn, closely followed by Poe who was, stubbornly, not looking at BB-8.

After a few moments, the droid gave a confused beep.

"What do you mean, you can't access any information?"

BB-8 beeped.

"Of course!" Finn gently banged his head with the building's stone wall. "The Empire locked all information excess except from the command center."

"They wouldn't make our life that easy." Rey shrugged and looked down at the droid. "You think you can download a schematic of the base? That would get us to where we want to go much faster."

BB-8 beeped.

"It doesn't matter if the base isn't powered, you can light the way."

And with one final beep, BB-8 made the rusted doors creak open and he rolled in.

The small group reluctantly followed the little droid, barely taking a step into the base before stopping.

"No power my behind!" exclaimed Poe, looking around at the well lit corridor. "How hard did you get hit BB?"

BB-8 gave a displeased beep but even the droid had to agree that things weren't matching up.

Although the exterior of the building was made of sand coloured stone, the inside was was totally made of metal, much like a battleship. The hall had no windows but the almost blinding light that was being emitted from a series of fluorescent lights way overcompensated for that.

"Must be a different system then the one BB hacked into." observed Finn, following the droid deeper into the base.

Rey gave a hesitant look back, the doors were already creaking shut. With a sigh, she began to follow her friend, walking almost perfectly in step with Poe. For a while the only sound around them was that of their own feet against the metal floor. This echoed hauntedly around them.

"This place has been out of commission for decades." Noted Finn. "So why bother with the lights?"

Poe shrugged. "Maybe the Empire thought they'd win Jakku back?"

"So they kept the lights on?" Finn didn't sound the least bit convinced.

After a few more minutes of walking the corridor emptied out into a medium sized antechamber, which would have been near indistinguishable from the hall if it weren't for the bones that scattered the ground.

"I think we found where those scavengers vanished too." Finn commented kneeling down next a robed skeleton- the material was ripped, revealing more of the skeleton then Finn would have liked to see.

"Hey!" called Poe from another corner. "Some of them are in Rebel uniforms!"

With a steadying breath, Rey unclipped her staff from her back and walked carefully to a pair of closed doors were BB-8 was waiting for them. He beeped solemnly.

"So the command center is right after here?" Rey looked around, nothing seemed physically wrong with the room but when she dipped her mind into the Force she could hear screams and howls and agitated emotions. But were these from the bodies that lied around them, or something else? "Careful! This place is probably trapped!"

Barely had the words left her mouth didn't BB-8 attempt to open the door. The smell of ozone filled the air as blue sparks erupted from the door port. This travelled swiftly across to the droid, sending it spiralling backwards, stunned.

"BB-8!" Yelled Poe, running towards the droid.

"The door!" yelled Finn as, faster than they thought the old doors could, they slammed shut.

"The lights?" whispered Rey, as the lights flickered out of existence. She looked around her, unable to see anything. She swung her staff gently but it came in contact with nothing. A lightsaber would be handy around now, she noted.

"Is everyone ok?" called Poe.

"I'm blind but ok!" Finn answered.

Rey looked around her, she could see absolutely nothing but she could sense movement along the edge of the walls, like the scuttling of hundreds of legs.

"Rey!?"

"I'm here!" she answered quickly, snapping out of her trance and readying her weapon, "but I think we have company."

"What do you AHHHHHHHHH!" Finn shrieked, blasting something with his laser and momentarily illuminating the room.

"Finn!" Called Poe before yelling and also setting off his weapon.

"Gnaw-jaws!" Yelled out Rey. From their lazer blasts she could just make out small armoured bodies with multi-jointed legs. A hideous howl filled the air. Gnaw-jaws were armour plated insects with six legs and carnivorous tendencies. They were weak to any form of light and hunted in armies. They only howled when they had their prey in sight…. A lightsaber _really_ would be handy now!

Rey felt something small and hard touch her ankle but with lightning fast reflexes she swatted it away with her staff. But almost as fast, another began to crawl up her other leg. Reflectively she tried to kick it off, which caused the creature to just grab on more tightly and actually bite her, its small fangs like needles penetrating her skin. She yelped in surprise as she tried to swat it away but now more began to climb up her legs.

She could hear yells from her companions as they tried blasting at the ground blindly, unable to aim at those already climbing up their bodies out of fear of losing a limb.

 _If we don't do anything soon they'd be eaten alive!_ Rey thought frantically.

BB-8 gave a groggy beep.

"Get the lights on!" yelled Poe, before swearing loudly and briefly lighting up the room with a laser blast that didn't leave much damage on the swarm.

Finn yelled in surprise, followed by a loud thump. "Get off me!" he shouted from somewhere on the floor.

"Finn!" yelled Rey, trying to swat away the creatures but they only continued to bite at her. One particularly big one got her in the ankle, she bent down to hit it away but the creatures swarmed on her like an unseen mass, causing her to collapse to the ground as they crawled across her arms and neck. She tried to push them away but she lost her staff amongst the rapidly moving bodies. There were so many they were covering her chest and arms with their impenetrable armour, hindering her movement.

Over the clattering of feet she heard BB-8 bump into a wall with a metallic clump, before driving over a few howling insects.

"Hurry BB!" Yelled Poe, shooting his blaster once again and illuminating a small portion of the room, by now the whole floor was coated in the scuttling bodies. Finn gave a panicked, muffled howl in some corner. The Gnaw-jaws bit at Rey's slender neck and the lobes of her ears, causing her to grunt in pain, unable to move her arms to defend herself or her friends.

She struggled against the carnivorous creatures as they pushed her to ground, even under her back creatures were squirming and howling. If they they didn't do anything soon they'd be eaten alive. Weaponless and unable to move, Ray felt completely useless at that moment. Finn had fallen completely silent but she could still hear scuffling form his general direction. Poe was still firing at the ground, but with with one particular pain-filled yell she heard him fall to the ground, yelling as he continued to struggle.

Rey squirmed against the building mass on her body, each bite like a painful sting, some even began to pull at her hair and fingers, ready to tear her apart. She struggled and roared against her captives. After everything they had been through... after everything _she_ had been through... she was not going to die in some abandoned base devoured by Gnaw-jaws! She had not traveled across the universe and back with the Resistance just to end like this!

And Ben… she wasn't going to die in this dark, horrid place before he'd brought him back!

Defiantly, she yelled, arching her back and tapping into the Force, realising it from within her like some high pressure casket, setting it free without restraint or control. It felt like an explosion had erupted from her gut. With a sickening splat, she heard a large number of small bodies being thrown and smashed against the wall and ceiling. So titanic was this explosion of Force, that even the air was forcefully pushed away from her, causing her to gasp for air where there was none.

Then, just as spontaneously as she had caused the disruption in the Force, she pulled it back into herself and took a great breath, before collapsing on the cold, bare, floor. She could feel the sting from the insect bites and the blood beginning to seep into her clothing however, it was the silence that instantly frightened her. The howling had stopped, the predators had abandoned their prey, but there were no other signs of life other than her own breathing. It was then that BB-8 gave a triumphant beep and the lights flickered on, one by one, illuminating the chaos Rey had created.

The walls were coated in a thick layer of blue gloop and cracked shells. A warm, gelatinous substance landed on her cheek and, horrified, she looked up. The Gnaw-jaw bodies had been totally pulverised by her release of power even their armoured shells hadn't escaped her wrath. A few legs stuck out of their bodily remains, some still twitching with the last remnants of life. Rey unsteadily got to her feet, her bare arms were bleeding and scraps of her clothing lied, thorn, around her but she didn't care about that. Wide eyed she looked around, where were Finn and Poe?

Oh no….

What if she…?

"Finn!" She croaked looking around helplessly. "Poe!"

She looked around shaking slightly, blue glunk continued to drip onto her face and arms but she paid it not head.

What had she done?

She called them again and was answered only by BB-8's confused beep as he triggered both sets of doors to open. With a sickening slurp the remains of the Gnaw-jaws slipped to the ground, accompanied by a near silent groan.

"Finn!" She yelled, running across the room to uncover her friend. His body was covered in blue sludge and crushed shells and bites covered the little of his face she could see. What really frightened Rey was that his eyes were closed and he felt limp in her arms.

"Wake up!" she begged.

From behind her, she heard a cough and her head darted around, a mass of mess slipped to the ground to uncover a battered Poe- his nose was bleeding and he was coughing heavily but he was, thankfully, alive.

In her arms Finn, too, began to cough and she looked down. Her relief was immediately replaced by dread as she saw that the side of his head was bleeding.

What had she done?

 **And that's the first chapter for the new year! What do you guys think? Wanted to put in a bit of action so I hope you enjoyed! Feel free to drop a review and thanks again for reading! Will update as soon as I can but, until then, may the Force be with you!- Luna Pendragon**


	7. Suspicion

**A.N. I take not credit for the poem quoted in this chapter but I'm hoping some of you did recognise it ;)**

Wkyt raised her lightsaber at Hux again, silently scolding herself for dropping her guard, her master would be tossing in his grave if he'd seen her. From within her helmet she narrowed her eyes, her breath intensified by the filters of her mask.

"Kylo said the Jedi fledgling killed my master." The words left a sour taste in her mouth and her gut churned as her suspicions rose to the surface once again.

"And you believe him?" Hux tilted his head slightly, like the Knight was some interesting insect to study.

"It would be treason to say otherwise," her voice faltered for a second. "He is now Supreme Leader."

"A position, I assure you, he has snatched from the senior generals quite adequately," Hux shrugged as he said the words.

"He was Snoke's greatest apprentice." There it was, that sour taste again as her own thoughts disagreed with her words.

Hux laughed, as if noticing her inner contradiction.

"Snoke just wanted kylo's bloodline, that is all. But _all_ the knights were his apprentices."

"But even amongst the Knights, Kylo was our leader."

"And you were pleased with your role as follower?" Hux spat, with sudden anger. "Snoke gave Kylo the Knights and all of you just accepted it! None of you fought for it! Like sheep, you blindly followed your shepherd as he gave you to a dog. And even now, with Snoke murdered, you continue to be sheep, oblivious as the dog grows to become a wolf!"

"Silence!" Snarled Wkyt, raising her other hand and clasping it before her, anger filling ever fiber of her body. "You forget your place, general."

She stood there, one hand stretched out towards Hux, in the crimson light of her lightsaber, the general smirked back. She concentrated on the Force, moulding it to do her bidding, but, for some reason, the general seemed unaffected. She tried the read the man's mind but, all she got back was static and an irritating smirk.

"What the..." Wkyt looked down at her gloved hand, confused- what was going on?

"Having a little performance trouble?" Hux clicked his tongue and shook his head slowly. "What would your beloved Master say about you know?"

"Silence!" she growled, extending her hand once again and focusing.

Hux casually extended one of his own hands. Wkyt felt herself slowly, and painfully, begin to lift off the ground. She could feel invisible hands begin to enclose around her neck, causing her to choke. She didn't struggle, she knew that would be pointless, but her eyes never left his.

"Don't think the Knights of Ren were Snoke's only apprentices." He growled.

In that instant memories flashed in Wkyt's mind- of all the times she'd used the force to exert her authority over the young general. How often had she toyed with him for her own amusement? But now another realisation dawned on her, on all those occasions, not once had she seen him get injured, not even a scratch.

"How? " she gurgled.

Roughly, Hux realised his Force grip on her, allowing her to fall to the ground. She got to her knees, coughing. Her lightsaber hummed quietly besides her.

He shrugged. "During my early days in the First Order Snoke sensed something peculiar about me and my influence with the Force. It turned out that I am very weakly Force sensitive, so you've just seen the full extent of my skill. However, it was something else that caught his attention, I was completely immune to any manipulations in the Force.

"It made no sense, and still doesn't. I'm a living creature so should be filled with the Force, but it's like I'm shut off from it. Snoke saw this as an opportunity and trained me to be his eyes and ears on the ship. I even learnt how to open up to the Force so that certain manipulations could affect me but not too severely to hurt me."

"Why would Snoke need you to be his eyes and ears?" The knight coughed, trying to wrap her head around Hux's story. Could what he was saying be true? Was it possible was someone to shut themselves off from the Force?

"Oh, because of you Knights." He shrugged again before crossing his arms. "He trained you to be his army but he never doubted that one day, one, if not more, would betray him like you did Skywalker."

"I never would!" Wkyt exclaimed, hurt that her master would even think that of her.

"That's why he started sending you away, removing those who appeared less likely to oppose him."

"He sent us all away… except Ren." Her eyes widened as if her greatest suspicions about the leader of the Knights of Ren had just proven to be true.

"Like I said, Snoke saw the power of his bloodline, he also knew of the deceit that comes with it."

"So that's why you didn't believe Ren's story."

"He's been off the tracks since he killed his father and that Jedi girl really rattled his cage."

"What do you mean?"

"There was a conflict within Kylo Ren."

"The Force echooe..." Wkyt's voice trailed off as she remembered what Todo had told them- that the blade had been wielded by Light _and_ Dark.

"We need to find out the truth." Hux started, irritating Wkyt with his liberal use of the word 'we'. But she had to admit, she wanted answers too.

"Interrogation won't work,." She answered swiftly. "Kylo is trained to defend his mind from attack and any questioning of his leadership may be taken a treason."

"Oh, we'll just have to ask Snoke himself."

"How!?" Wkyt gasped, her mind racing. It was impossible for one bound to the Darkside to return from the dead, maybe in the form of a Force Ghost, but that was particularly rare for their side.

"Snoke told me of a way." Hux answered mysteriously. "I've got a plan."

"And why should I trust you?"

"Because you distrust me less then you do Kylo Ren."

Kylo gasped as a sudden irritation erupted near his ankle, like a dozen small needles piercing his skin. However, when he checked, there was nothing. He shook his head, dismissing it as his mind playing tricks on him- too many things had happened in this room.

Kylo was once again in the throne room to study the hilt and this time he had ordered the crew to not disturb his 'meditation'. He looked around the deserted room as more of the needle-like sensation spread across his body like goosebumps, or like little warnings from the Force to leave this place. Too many ghosts haunted this room alone but he needed answers. Ignoring the feeling he walked towards the throne, where the hilt was lying in the same place as he had left it.

Who was the man who appeared before him and why had he called to him?

With a steady hand he reached out to the hilt and gripped it. Closing his eyes, he focused his mind. For now, he ignored the thread that led him to Rey, it's obsidian colour being noted for later thought. At that moment he was searching for someone else- a mysterious man with a scar across his face. In his mind he imagined the man and Kylo ordered the Force to bring him forth to him.

But, for once, the Force did not comply. When the Supreme Leader opened his eyes, the man was nowhere to be seen.

He sighed, slightly disappointed, his plan had not worked. He had thought that his presence in the Force was strong enough to call a Force Ghost, but it seemed he had been wrong.

 _The dark is generous, and it is patient._

Kylo froze, his grip tightening on the piece of metal in his hand. It was the same voice he had heard before. He had been wrong the first time- it wasn't in his mind nor around him, the voice was coming from the Force itself, like the ancient entity had been given a voice a last.

"Who are you!?" He whispered, trying to focus his mind but unable to see anything. However, the voice continued to speak.

 _It is the dark that seeds cruelty into justice... that drips contempt into compassion... that poisons love with grains of doubt. The dark can be patient, because the slightest drop of rain will cause those seeds to sprout. The rain will come, and the seeds will sprout... for the dark is the soil in which they grow, and it is the clouds above them... and it waits behind the star that gives them light._

"What is that meant to mean?" Kylo whispered. "Why are you telling me this?"

 _The dark's patience is infinite... Eventually... even stars burn out._

The voice's words echoed ominously throughout the Force, as if across time and space.

"What is that meant to mean!?" yelled out Kylo, his temper rising with each word he uttered.

But the voice was silent, it had told Kylo what it wanted to tell him, for now- without giving a single answer.

Frustrated and irritated, Kylo threw the hilt at the throne and marched out of the room, not giving it a second glance as the doors closed. He walked to the command center, Stormtroopers gave him a wide berth as they saluted, none wanting to be the subject of his wrath.

The instant he stepped into the command center, the crew rose from their seats or stopped in their tracks to salute him.

"Status report." He commanded, the rest of the crew took this as a signal to continue with their work. An oldish man with grey hair and a pointed nose formally began to walk towards Kylo, a tablet in his hand.

"Supreme leader, we will be entering the Hoth System shortly." He swiftly answered.

"Any sightings of the Millennium Falcon?"

The captain shook his head solemnly.

Kylo shot the captain his most irritated look, which wasn't very difficult after encountering the mysterious voice again, but he couldn't help feel slightly relieved. Although he wished to trample the Resistance fully, he could not find his mother and her little squad before Rey was ready to join him.

"And of the Resistance fleet?"

"Their numbers continue to dwindle as we speak." Said the captain, consulting his tablet. Near the control panels Hux had halted his work and was eyeing Kylo with disdain.

"Good, do not stop until their whole fleet vanishes into history." Kylo ordered.

"Very well." Saluted the captain, before returning to his work.

Kylo looked at the crew below him but he paid them no head, his mind replaying the message the voice had spoken to him.

What did it mean?

Was it some riddle or encryption he was meant to unlock?

"Supreme Leader." An altered voice brought him out of his thoughts, as he turned to see the Knights of Ren bowing before him. Wkyt was in the center of the small group, and the first to rise.

"The Knights of Ren have consulted and ask that Lord Snoke's body be taken to Moraband." She formally asked, her gaze not wavering from his.

"Why Moraband?" He countered, trying to hide his confusion at their sudden request.

"That is were all the Sith Lords lie to rest."

"But we are not sith."

"No, we are not, but we followed the Force as they did and many of our teachings are the same."

"And Master Snoke deserves to rest with all the Dark Lords." Todo added from the back.

Kylo studied the Knights before him in silence, dipping his mind into the Force to read the emotions their faces couldn't show. They were calm and mournful, yet the desire to show their final respects to their master was evident in all.

"Very well," he finally conceded. "Prepare a shuttle and the casket, may your travels be uninterrupted."

Kylo made to dismiss them but none of the masked figures before him moved.

"We have a second request." Boldly stated Wkyt, her eyes meeting Hux's, unseen within her helmet. He Nodded his head, overhearing their whole conversation.

Kylo gestured his hand for her to continue. "That you would join us."

"I am Supreme Leader." He swiftly answered. "And we are in the midst of a war."

"Which we are winning."

"I cannot simply leave my post."

"He was your master as well!" argued back Wkyt, loud enough for the whole crew to nervously turn their heads towards the small group.

"Be that as you may…" Kylo began, before he felt a presence behind him.

"If I may speak, Supreme Leader." Interrupted Hux, bowing his head gently at the younger man.

Hux did not wait for Kylo to give him permission to speak before continuing.

"Taking your master to his final resting place may make your transition as the new Supreme Leader more..." Hux paused dramatically, as he looked for the appropriate word. "Natural- or at least in the eyes of the First Order, like the torch being passed on."

For the briefest moment Hux directed his attention to the Knights... No, to just one of them, but it was too quick a gesture for Kylo to see which one specifically. Something was going on here, Kylo knew that, but with Hux's bizarre influence on the Force, it was hard to tell what.

"Fine." He finally answered, determined to get to the bottom of this, away from prying eyes. "I will accompany you to Moraband."

 **Hi! So there's another one done! What do you guys think? Here's to hoping the story hasn't bored you too much yet XD Thanks again for reading! and I'll try update as soon as possible :D- LunaPendragon**


	8. Lost

Rey's whole body was shaking uncontrollably. Poe slipped to the ground coughing out insect goop and shells. BB-8 slipped to his side, beeping in concern as the pilot's head rolled slightly. Rey wished she could help him but Finn's limp body was scaring the life out of her. The side of his head was bleeding horribly, staining her knees red and making her hands sticky with the warm fluid. She tried to suppress her panic and the tears that threatened to escape as she ripped at her shirt and applied pressure to her friend's injury.

What had she done?

"BB-8!" she yelled, frantically. "Check if this place has a med bay or something… anything that can help them!"

How could she have let this happen?

BB-8 beeped determinedly as he slipped into the common room, leaving a trail of purple sludge in his wake. Only then did the tears spill as she pressed her forehead to Finn's and wept.

What was wrong with her?

How could she have lost control like that?

"What have I done?" she murmured, the hot tears running down her face.

"Rey…?" the scavenger caught her breath, she'd recognise that voice anywhere. She couldn't deal with him right now, that's what her mind told her. It warned her not to look up nor acknowledge his presence but something else told her otherwise and that part was too strong for her to resist.

Ben stood barely a hand's reach away from her and he hadn't changed in the slightest since the last she had seen him. For an instant surprise registered on his face and he made as if to step towards her. But all expression vanished and he took not a single step towards her. However, even through the tears in her eyes, she could see something in his, something that didn't really register at the time.

Neither one spoke at first, Ben just surveyed their surroundings and Rey cursed. What could he see? What could he recognise? Could he see Finn bleeding on her lap or the Empire base that surrounded her? She had been so careful... But had she just revealed their location to the First Order? Her carelessness had not only hurt her friends but also put the Resistance in jeopardy.

"I didn't call you here." She said through gritted teeth.

"You have blood on your hands," he observed. "But it doesn't' seem to be from your injuries."

"Don't sound so disappointed." She glared up at him, she couldn't deal with him right now.

Ben tilted his, "I sense anger and fear… but its not due to my appearance."

He sounded confused as he said this but Rey gritted her teeth, hating how well he could read her because of this cursed Force Bond.

"I-I lost control of the Force," she looked away as she said this, unable to meet the intense gaze he was giving her. "I hurt my team."

"It seems you might finally, truly, be tapping into your real potential." Ben took a few steps and instantly crossed the distance between them and he knelt before her so they were eye level to each other. Rey forced herself look back at him and she felt doubt creep up on her, how could she hope to bring Ben back from the Dark when it felt as if she was falling into it herself?

"Such brute strength," he continued to say but then his expression softened slightly. "I'd expect no less from you. With our combined power we could rule the galaxy."

"What part of 'never' did you not understand back then?"

"Why do you deny that you are meant to be at my side?"

"Because neither one of us belongs to the Darkness."

"Are you sure about that?" Ben calmly continued."Fear… Anger...These all lead to the Dark side."

She took a shaky breath. She couldn't hear this, not right now.

She didn't want to hear this.

"Don't fear your power. Don't shut it away but embrace it…" Ben made as if to reach out but, like dust, he was blown away by an invisible breeze that carried upon it a familiar voice.

"Rey… you must travel to Ilum...You will lose if you confront Kylo Ren like this…"

"Master Skywalker…?" Rey pushed back fresh tears. How was it she could hear the old Jedi's voice as clearly as she had Ben's? She had so many questions and yet not a single answer it was too frustrating!

An excited beep brought her back to reality and she quickly wiped her eyes in her sleeves as a shadow fell over her. Confused she carefully turned, still keeping the pressure on Finn's wound.

"Wow!" was her initial reaction when she saw the life sized droid that waited patiently behind her. It was humanoid in structure and had a pipe connecting its mouth to its chest. BB-8 beeped excitedly at its feet.

"You managed to find a med droid?" Rey gasped in surprise, not allowing herself to hope.

"Please step aside. I am a 2-1B surgical droid. My sensors detect a head injury in the human male."

Reluctantly, she lowered Finn's head to the ground and stepped back.

With a quiet click the droid bent down and, with surprising gentleness, scooped up Finn in its metal arms. "I will take the patient to the medical bay."

And, without waiting for an answer, it turned its back on the scavenger and began to walk back to the command center where it had come from. Rey wanted to follow but she knew Poe needed her help too.

Carefully Rey ran to the pilot, where he sat coughing out shells and insect remains.

"You're bleeding!" she stated.

"What happened?" choked out Poe, almost sliding further down the wall before she caught him and carefully put one of his hands around her shoulders for support.

"I'm so sorry…" she replied, as she carefully led Poe after the surgical droid. He groaned slightly as they walked but he made no complaint.

At that moment she was too concerned to really take in the room, it had only one other set of doors, other than the one they had just walked in through. They were surrounded by fortified windows, giving the command center an almost complete 360 degrees view of the terrain. Control desks and screens were neatly lined around a broad, round table covered in a thick layer of dust.

"Sorry…?" Poe still sounded dazed and confused as she carefully led him after the droid through the second set of doors. "Why?"

Rey looked away, unable to meet his eyes, his nose was still bleeding badly and was possibly broken. "I used the Force… I couldn't control it and you and Finn got hurt."

"That was you?" his eyes widened as he tried to make sense of her words.

She took long to answer, mentally using the excuse to maneuver Poe and herself sideways into the med bay where the droid was already working on Finn, cleaning the wound gently. She sat him down on a free bed and tore off another piece of her shirt, before attempting to clean off some of the blood and sludge that covered his face.

"I'm so sorry…" she concluded that was the only answer she could give him. Her hand wobbled slightly as she remembered her conversation with Ben and that voice… that voice that sounded too much like Luke Skywalker.

She felt a firm, strong, hand grasp her own, stopping the shaking.

"You saved us." Poe carefully said, looking at her intensely, as if trying to make her understand that he actually meant what he was saying. Instead she slipped the dirty cloth into his hand before standing up straight.

"Pinch your nose and lean forward." She croaked. "That should stop the bleeding. The surgical droid will check it out once it's done with Finn."

And without looking back at the pilot she ran to where Finn was struggling to push himself up using his elbows, pushing back the surgical droid in his confusion.

"Careful!" She yelled skidding to a stop besides him, and gripped his sticky hands to stop him from inflicting any more damage. "You're hurt, let the droid treat you."

"That…" Finn struggled as he tried to think of the right word. The droid moved around Rey and continued working on the injury. "That...whatever that was... that destroyed those things… that was you, wasn't it?"

"I'm so sorry." She repeated once again.

"What was that?" He said grasping her hands and closing his eyes as if in pain, a sour smell of alcohol was being emitted from the cloth the droid was using to clean away the blood.

"The Force, I don't know what happened." She admitted shaking her head. "I just wanted to get us out of there and I lost control, it's never happened before…"

But she stopped herself. No, it had happened before. Back at the Outpost, when she saw the trader's body, she'd caused a lid of a barrel to fly into the air. She hadn't intended to that either.

"You saved us." Finn finally said, as the droid began to wrap a clean bandage around his head like a turban.

"I could have killed both of you." She countered, lowering her hands and standing up. She couldn't understand them, how were they not mad at her! How could they act like this was okay?

"But you didn't."

"2-1B," she turned her head to address the droid. "Please check the other human male when you finish here, he is also injured."

"Understood."

"BB-8 let's go see if this place has anything else useful." Rey turned her back on Finn and began to walk towards the door.

"Rey!" Finn called, trying to sit up, but the droid pushed him back. He had to say something, he knew he was losing her but what could he say to make her understand? Before he could even decide, however, Rey had vanished through the doors.

Back in the command centre BB-8 had managed to switch on the ancient computer and Rey was trying to keep her mind occupied by looking trough the base's inventory- although majority of the equipment had been taken during the evacuation, it seemed the medical bay was still well equipped with medication and surgical droids. In the bunkers a small collection of partly dismantled tie-fighters and a few caskets of fuel also seemed to be registered. Probably they could also find a few weapons in the storm trooper armoury, she doubted that had been cleaned out.

"BB-8, how is the transmission signal of this place?" she asked.

BB-8 beeped approvingly.

"Could we try send a transmission to the Millenium Falcon?"

BB-8 emitted a number of beeps as he worked and then the sound of static erupted from the central table where an image was brought to existence showing the interior of the Millenium Falcon.

"General Organa?!" Rey called, hoping someone was on the Falcon. She heard surprised shuffling and a particularly hair face filled their view.

"Chewie!" called Rey, pleased to see the wookie.

Chewie gave a worried growl.

"No, I'm ok." she bit back the guilt as she remembered the others in the med bay. "Could you get the general, please? We've got news!"

The wookie growled and vanished from the screen for a few minutes. The next face that appeared was that of the general.

"Rey!" she exclaimed, "you're injured!"

Rey was taken aback by the general's observation. She had been so preoccupied with everything that she hadn't even paid attention to her own injuries, the bites and scratches from the gnaw-jaws must still have been bleeding.

"Where are Poe and Finn?" The old general's eyes creased with concern and so, without hesitation, Rey told her what had happened since they had landed- or almost everything. She couldn't get herself to tell Leia about her meeting with Ben, there was too intimate and personal about those to tell anyone about.

Leia gave a relieved sigh. "So Finn and Poe will be fine."

"But they wouldn't even have had to be in this situation if it weren't for me."

"From what you told me they wouldn't be alive if if it weren't for you."

"Can everyone stop saying that!?" she yelled, "Why isn't anyone mad with me?"

"Because you didn't hurt them deliberately… your friends know that."

Rey shook her head not believing her words, there had to be consequences for her actions, but she didn't trust herself to argue, she felt too unstable.

Instead she said, "Do you really think that voice… how could it be Luke's?"

"I don't pretend to know understand the full workings of the Force," Leia smiled lightly like the thought amused her. "But luke, in his early days, had heard an old friends voice and that had led him to his Jedi master, yoda, in the Dagobah System."

"So Ilum is a planet?"

"And a rather frosty one too, in the Unknown Regions."

"Why would Luke want me to go there?"

"I don't know, but if he sent you this message through the Force it must be important. You must go."

"General I can't!" protested Rey. "The Resistance needs me."

"It needs you focused." The general quickly retorted. "The final confrontation with my son is near. We are in the last days of this war and if you're doubting yourself before the final battle… well that means we've already lost."

Rey looked down at the orange droid, as if looking for answers.

"Rey, you've done more for the Resistance than any of us could have ever dared ask for. Now it's time for you to do what is best for you." Rey looked up at the general. "Take the Falcon, and all the provisions you need. When you get back the Resistance will be ready for our final stand."

 **Thank so much for reading! What did you guys think? I didn't hear much from you for the last chapter but feel free to drop a comment about the story- suggestions are always welcome and I love to hear from you! Sadly, I think I might have to slow down my writing a bit because exams start next week and they hog up a lot of time. No worries though, I'll still be posting when ever I can just at a slower pace ;) Thank again for reading and may the Force be with you all!- LunaPendragon**


	9. Deception

**A.N I hold no credit for the verses quoted by Xand-Rig in his elegy.**

Xand-Rig Ren stood in front of the burning pyre, enjoying this moment profoundly. For one brief moment all eyes and ears were on him, and not only here, but across the galaxy and aboard every First Order ship in operation. Of course, such a historic moment would have to be broadcasted. This felt like a hunger the young Knight had neglected to feed for years, and now it was starving.

Xand-Rig was one of the youngest and more soft spoken amongst the Knights of Ren, if such a thing were even possible. He had only been spared at the Skywalker temple, all those years before, because of his age. They had believed him still pliable and naive back then.

How wrong they had been.

Just scraping into his teen years, knowledge had defined him. Under Skywalker he had learnt all he could of the exterminated order, of their history, their lore and their teachings. He even attempted to read the ancient Jedi texts, they were deemed too sophisticated for his young mind by his elders. However, much to their horror, he had read, secretly in the night, but they did little to quell the starving creature within him, he wanted more.

Under Snoke's tutarge his greed for knowledge only continued grow, driving him to the verge of insanity, as some would say when they thought he couldn't hear them. The thousands of writings and codes he had discovered in the First Order's archives, some written far before the Old Republic was even conceived, had only sent him searching the furthest corners of the galaxy for answers. He now knew techniques that his comrades-in-arms wouldn't dare imagine and he knew secrets that would make them plead for mercy.

For Xand-Rig, knowledge was his power, in the very essence of the word. He cared little of the politics that revolved around the First Order, and he cared little of the power struggles within for he knew he'd have power over them all, no matter the outcome. Here, before the dozen of troops that had accompanied them to Moraband, he savoured this moment, knowing he held a card up his sleeve on each of the most prominent figures watching him.

His eyes flickered momentarily to Wkyt Ren. She stood politely besides the other knights, her head bowed solemnly. He knew of her treasonous feelings towards the new Supreme Leader, he knew of her conspirings with General Hux but for what, the answer still eluded him. But he would discover it out soon enough, after all, she hadn't asked Snoke to be taken to Moraband out of respect alone. There was an underlying plot Xand-Rig was eager to learn of.

His eyes then fell on the Supreme Leader, Kylo Ren. His pale face was awash with the pyre fire light, his eyes lost in some far away thoughts. Xand-Rig knew he hadn't forcefully acquired the title of Supreme Leader for the First Order's gain. His thoughts were as treasonous as Wkyt's and Hux's. It was astounding how much one would reveal to you, when they believe you silent and young. But that hadn't made Xand-Rig blind nor naive. No matter the outcome of the confrontation bound to happen between Kylo and Wkyt,(Xand-Rig expected Wkyt would challenge Kylo to the Saber's trial, she was dramatic that way), the knight was knowledgeable on secrets on both and thus held power over both.

However where Knowledge was the young knight's power, acknowledgement was his weakness and it was like a hungry serpent eating him from the inside. That's why now, with the First Order eagerly waiting for his wise words, he savoured the moment, feeding that serpent within him its fill.

Then with a voice slightly magnified with the Force, but just low enough so that they had to focus on his words alone to understand, he began to speak:

"The dark is generous. Its first gift is concealment: our true faces lie in the dark beneath our skins, our true hearts remain shadowed deeper still. But the greatest concealment lies not in protecting our secret truths, but in hiding from the truths of others.

"The dark protects us from what we dare not know."

Xand-Rig noticed that now he had even caught the Supreme Leader's attention and he smiled to himself behind his mask, taking in their attention like a parasite.

"Its second gift is comforting illusion: the ease of gentle dreams in night's embrace, the beauty that imagination brings to what would repel in the day's harsh light. But the greatest of its comforts is the illusion that dark is temporary: that every night brings a new day. Because it's the day that is temporary.

"Day is the illusion."

Xand-Rig paused for dramatic effect, he now had everyone's undivided attention.

"Its third gift is the light itself: as days are defined by the nights that divide them, as stars are defined by the infinite black through which they wheel, the dark embraces the light, and brings it forth from the center of its own self.

"With each victory of the light, it is the dark that wins."

He let that final word echoe around the chasm, through the statues of unnamed ancient Sith Lords, making him feel that even ages gone by had heard him. There was no applause or jubilation, he had expected none, this had been his elegy to his former master. However even Snoke wouldn't have been able to hold back his praise on this one occasion. Xand-Rig then cleared his throat before continuing;

"With our master's death a new Supreme Leader has risen. The Resistance might believe this to be their victory but that is simply an illusion. As the light grows, the shadow it casts gets ever larger and larger, until it is so unimaginably large it snuffs out the flame that once created it. It is thanks to my master that the shadow has grown to such proportions and it is now our job to finish his work. We are the Darkness that will finally snuff out the flame and unite the systems under one flag!"

And with those parting words the troops bowed their heads in understanding, each one accepting the task. Xand-Rig left his bruning master's side and walked to join the other Knights, some of which even nodded their heads in acknowledgment. The troops, as one, turned towards Kylo who silently began to lead the way out of the crypt, deep in thought as if he too were contemplating Xand-Rig's words. The Knights walked on either side of their leader in silence, leaving the burning pyre to die out in its own time and for Snoke's ashes to remain with the ancient masters for ever.

The temple of the Sith was just as impressive as the youth remembered reading. Corridors branched out from the main passage, each one illuminated with the crimson light of thousands of artificial kyber crystal. Even in the main passage through which they now walked, was illuminated with images of some of the Sith's most notable victories, many appeared to involve the vanquishing of the Jedi in rather gruesome ways.

Xand-Rig had read about this temple in great detail. It was the final burial place of hundreds of great Sith Lords and it was believed that each side passage lead to a crypt dug in deeper into the mountain like roots slowly growing into a maze. Statues stood before each side passage as if to give an indication of whose crypt lied behind them. Xand-Rig would have loved to stop and explore but it would not have been permitted in that time as the procession exited into the planet's dull light.

The first thing he saw was the Valley of Dark Lords that was composed of red and black sand and mountains that integrated together like broken teeth. The sky was coated in a thick layer of crimson clouds and the smell of sulphur lingered in the air. Their airship was docked on the little flat land between the temple and the valley, on the banks of a river that looked like molten ebony. Behind him the temple stood, carved into the mountainside, its titanic statues of unnamed Sith Lords bearing lightsabers protected the now open temple doors. Unfamiliar symbols covered the doors, also glowing in their ominous red light, like a warning to those daring to enter. The knight knew that, given enough time, he'd be able to decipher its code but, unfortunately, the Supreme Leader had other plans.

"Xand-Rig Ren, follow me to my quarters. We must speak." Kylo formally said and, with a silent groan, the young Knight had no choice but follow the Supreme Leader. However he did not allow himself to get distracted, noticing Wkyt striding in Hux's general direction, something he noted for later.

Kylo's 'quarters' were more of a formal study, where the the Supreme Leader could entertain guests. in theory, and discuss plans without prying ears or eyes. Kylo stood behind his desk and Xand-Rig across from him. Neither one spoke, knowing that this wasn't some casual meeting.

"Very meaningful words." said Kylo, his arms behind his back as he observed his masked follower. "I believe Master Snoke would have approved."

"Thank you Supreme Leader." The youth bowed his head in acknowledgement.

"Was it from Sith texts?" Kylo prompted taking Xand-Rig by surprise, this had not been what he expected.

"It was of my own invention."

"You lie." accused Kylo calmly.

Xand-Rig smiled knowingly to himself, "If you were going to read my mind, why ask?"

"Because you've shut the answer off from me."

Xand-Rig shrugged. "Knowledge always has a price."

"And the price of knowledge is more knowledge."

Xand-Rig smiled to himself again. "You know this game well."

"Ask your question and then answer mine." Kylo sighed, trying to anticipate what the young knight might ask.

Xand-Rig contemplated his options. He could ask what really happened that night in the throne room but he suspected Wkyt and Hux might provide that answer in a more interesting manner…

"Why the sudden interest in literature?" he asked.

Kylo paused and Wand-Rig could feel him in the Force, choosing his words carefully.

"I've recently come across a passage that shares many similarities with what you said before."

"Yes, I am aware more paragraphs do exist, I chose to recite the most appropriate for the occasion. But you still haven't answered my question, why the interest in this specific piece?"

Kylo took a steadying breath and Xand-Rig savoured the the power his knowledge could inflict.

"A part of it is impressed with Darth Vader's hilt." Kylo said, carefully.

Xand-Rig accepted this with a nod and said, "That would make sense. I found the abstract at Bast Castle, your grandfather's old residence on Vjun. A copy is available in the archives, I made sure of that."

Kylo nodded his head in understanding and waved his hand, dismissing the knight who bowed and exited, still analysing the answer he had been given. Kylo had used the word 'impress' specifically. He could have said 'inscribed' or 'engraved' but he carefully selected 'impress' as to not lie to Xand-Rig but not give the total truth. That alone was an intriguing mystery.

As he left the ship and emerged on the plateau the red sun of Moraband had quickly set, washing the land with an absolute darkness. Stormtroopers were on patrol, saluting formally to him as he walked through the lanterns that dimly lit the plateau, keeping away the planets unwelcoming inhabitants. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Wkyt, barely indistinguishable from the shadows, as she evaded the stormtrooper patrols and entered the ancient Sith temple.

Xand-Rig smiled ruefully, so tonight he would learn of the treachery unfolding between Wkyt and Hux.

 **So that's another one! What did you guys think having it from a different point of view, for a change? It was a tad short because I'm trying to time it with Rey's story and she still has a bit of journeying to do XD Thanks so much for reading and reviews are always more than welcome. I'll try update asap with exams but, until then, may the force be with you all!- Luna Pendragon**


	10. Luck

Rey looked around the dark room feeling confused and extremely lost. How had she gotten here? And more importantly, where was _here_? She looked around but could see absolutely nothing outside the small beam of light she stood within. Shielding her eyes, she tried to look up- it was most probably a spotlight but it was too far and too bright for her to confirm.

"Finn!" She yelled as she reached over her shoulder and thankfully, found her staff strapped there. Slightly relieved, she pulled it free and held it before her, "Poe!"

But only the silence answered her.

This made no sense. The last she remembered, she was in the Galactic Empire base on Jakku, how had she ended up here?

"Is anyone here?!" She tried again.

This time, however, there was a response, but not the one she had expected. It was the ever familiar sound of a lightsaber being drawn.

Quickly, she turned to face the source, a crimson plasma beam was floating in the darkness, its luminous quillons barely illuminated its owner's gloved hand. Its ominous hum bringing back dark memories.

"Ben…?" She lowered her weapon slightly, still extremely confused. Had the First Order found them? But she doubted she wouldn't remember that.

The wielder of the lightsaber did not answer however, he did walk into the light and his appearance made Rey take multiple swift steps back. It was Kylo Ren alright, mask and all. His breathing was intensified by the mask he wore and he firmly gripped his weapon as he stopped within the little circle of light. Rey firmly readjusted her staff as she took in his appearance. For some reason he appeared shorter and slimmer than the last time she had seen him but she dismissed this as a trick of the light. It was the mask he wore that truly unnerved her, it had been many weeks since she'd last seen him in it. Draped like this it was almost impossible for her to see Ben Solo within Kylo Ren.

"Ben," She struggled with the word, "What happened? Where are we?"

But the masked man did not reply. Instead he attacked, raising his weapon as if to slice her in half. But she'd heard the shifting of his breath in anticipation and so managed to dodge easily.

She cursed as she was forced to roll away from another swing, and another, and another. She barely had time to steady herself before she had to dodge another of Kylo's relentless attacks. Kylo slashed, she dodged and then the man feinted, catching her mid jump. Out of instinct she uselessly attempted to block the attack with her staff. The wood sizeled and charred, being cut to almost half it original size as it came in contact with the saber's plasma beam.

Cursing again she quickly turned her weapon around so that the longer, intact part was facing her opponent, but she now felt like a foolish child holding a makeshift sword against a real weapon.

Kylo attacked again and this time Rey feinted, jabbing her weapon at his side. But he curved out of her reach, once again slicing off a piece of her stuff and leaving her with only a stub for a weapon.

Panting, she tried to dip her mind into the Force, to try and see his next move. He moved his arms one way and she reacted accordingly, but Kylo was skilled. He kicked her feet from under her, causing her to stumble to the ground, twisting her ankle in the process.

She gritted her teeth against the pain before looking up. She was greeted by the point of Kylo's shimmering blade. It was so close she could feel its unpleasant warmth on her face. Strangely, now that Kylo had her immobilised, he didn't move. He simply stood there with his weapon pointed at her face.

"What are you waiting for?" she shouted at the masked man. "Finish me off Kylo Ren! You've finally won!"

She could feel her anger growing- at her weakness and at Kylo in general.

"Oh, I wasn't your opponent for this match." A cool, familiar voice sent her stomach in knots for too many reasons. Kylo Ren emerged from the darkness, unmasked and unarmed.

"What…?" her voice betrayed her confusion as her eyes darted between Kylo and her masked assailant. The older man gave her a pitying smile, as if he could see the gears in her mind failing to produce any feasible answers.

"This will make things obviously clear." He stepped behind the shorter figure and began to unclip his helmet. The unnamed individual didn't even move as Kylo, removed his mask with surprising gentleness.

What Rey saw made her blood turn to ice in her veins. She would have clawed her eyes out if the image before her hadn't already been seared into her memory. She looked along the crimson blade, into her own face.

" No!" She exclaimed, trying to stand but her ankle failed her, making her unable to move. She shook her head wildly, not wanting to believe her own eyes.

"I told you you'd join me eventually." Kylo gave the other Rey, the darker Rey, a pleased look. Rey looked up at her doppleganger and the other looked down on her with cold, meticulous eyes.

"Now finish her off, we've wasted enough time on this one." Kylo turned his back on her as he spoke. The other Rey didn't even flinch as Kylo gave his order. She raised her lightsaber above her head with inhumane calm.

Rey wanted to yell, to shriek, to run away from this place but her body refused to respond. It felt as if time had slowed as her eyes stayed locked on her darker version and the latter, painfully slowly, lowered her lightsaber.

"Rey! Wake up, Rey! Wake up!" A deep, worried voice forced her out of her dreams. To Rey it felt as if her heart was trying to escape from her ribcage and she breathed as if she couldn't get enough air into her lungs. She could feel hot tears streaming down her cheeks and strong hands gripping her shoulders.

The sound of something crashing to the ground finally brought her to reality as her eyes, through the tears, tried to make out Poe Dameron's face. She could see concern in his dark eyes but she shrugged him off as she sat up in the bed she had been sleeping in. She frantically rubbed her eyes and at the tears that refused to stop.

"I'm sorry." She said, still rubbing at her eyes, though honestly she'd lost track of what she was sorry for now.

Poe stood awkwardly by her bed, pretending not to see the tears she was forcefully wiping away.

"I didn't mean to…" He began. "I heard you talking in your sleep from the hallway... it didn't sound so good so I came to check on you… I knocked… but the doors are automatic …. And the desk was floating."

So that's what the crashing sound had been.

"What were you doing in the hallway at this time?" She murmured, from the small window in her room she could see the stars still shining.

"Had to take a leak." He shrugged, sheepishly. "It impossible to go with that droid shadowing me."

Rey blinked at him before she let out a small chuckle at the simplicity of his answer. It had been awhile since she'd received one. Poe smiled down at her, joining her in her laughter before asking if he could sit. Rey moved a bit away, making more room so that he could sit on the edge of her bed.

"So… you going to tell me what was bad enough to frighten our resident Jedi?"

Rey averted her eyes towards the collapsed desk, "I'd rather not talk about it."

"Suit yourself," he shrugged. "Though if it had anything to do with today, Finn and I already told you we're fine. No need to fret about that."

Rey bit her lip. "I think that was only part of it."

"Well if you need to talk to anyone I'm all ears, and probably the only one awake at this hour." He fiddled distractedly with the ring he wore around his neck. "My ma' used to say, talking about a problem already solves half of it."

Rey momentarily wondered of her own mother had ever given her such words of wisdom and, before she could stop, she found herself telling Poe, a man she barely knew, about everything that had plagued her since traveling to Ach-To. Everything she had been too frightened to tell anyone else, not even Leia or Finn. It all just came spilling out.

She told him about how Luke feared her affinity to the Darkness and of her confrontation with Snoke and Kylo. She told him about how the knight had turned on his master to save her and how the two had fought the Red Guard, back to back. She even told Poe about what Kylo had revealed about her parents and how he claimed that Rey would join him. The only thing she didn't elaborate on was her Force Bond with Ben, she doubted she'd ever be able to put that experience into words.

Poe was a good listener. He never interrupted her, not even once, even though it seemed that he had many questions at some points. He even nodded his head encouragingly when she faltered. She broke into tears again when she arrived at the dream she'd just had and her battle with Dark Rey. However, all he did he hold her in a safe embrace as she cried into his shoulder, something she never would have done if she hadn't been feeling so wrecked.

When he finally let go of her, it felt as if finally a weight had been lifted from her chest

"Kylo's wrong." He finally said, it shocked Rey to hear him speak after so long hearing only her own voice. "You will never turn to the Dark Side."

"You don't know that. Today, with those Gnaw-Jaws, I could feel it- fear and anger- those are emotions of the Darkness."

"It's also called being human. It's only from fear that bravery is born and lessons from anger." He stood up, stretching slightly. "Now it's up to you to let them fester like Kylo did or to accept them and learn from them."

He smiled at her, as if he secretly already knew what option she'd pick. "Now we better get some sleep, we have a long day tomorrow."

Rey nodded her head and lied back in her bed as Poe walked towards the door. She momentarily looked up at the metal ceiling before sighing and closing her eyes. Poe stopped at her door before turning back to look at her restless face. He didn't head back to the med bay until her breathing calmed, a signal that she had finally fallen asleep.

Rey would have called it more of a coma then a sleep but it was much better then the nightmares of before. It was BB-8 who woke her, beeping excitedly into her room and colliding with the collapsed table.

She stretched and walked to the med bay where she found the med droid force-feeding Finn what looked like a rather disgusting porridge. His hands were strapped to the sides of his bed like a prisoner, hindering his escape. Poe was sitting at the edge of his own bed, his hand running through his hair, silently glad he hadn't been the one that had acquired the head injury, yesterday.

"Rey!" Choked out Finn, spitting out the spoon of porridge he had been forced to eat. "Can you tell this blasted droid that I can feed myself? I swear this stuff expired thirty years ago!"

"The medication has no such expiration date and is especially formulated to speed healing." The droid explained, scooping another spoon of medication.

"Can't argue with a medical droid." Laughed Poe, as he nodded his greeting at Rey. He didn't say anything about last night and Rey appreciated that, she didn't feel like explaining all that again to Finn. She already felt foolish enough for breaking down in front of one person

"Ready to head off, Poe? The general and the others are waiting for us."

"Hold it! You two aren't leaving me here . Alone. With this insane droid!"

"Of course not." Rey said as if that were obvious. "BB-8 is staying to make sure we disabled all the traps after yesterday."

"You've got to be kidding me!" Yelled Finn as Poe and Rey made their way out of the med bay and towards the landing port, where the scout ship waited for them.

"What's with the fuel?" Asked Poe as they took their seats in the cockpit.

"Need to fuel up the Millennium Falcon." Was her vague response.

"Planning of taking a trip?" Poe asked, starting up the engine and lifting the ship off the ground.

"It's already been cleared with the general." She explained, her eyes already focusing on the Starship Graveyard, keeping an eye out for any more hungry junk-eaters.

"Alone?"

"Some things a girl just has to do alone." And she attempted a smile which Poe took a moment to reciprocate.

"If you think it will help with … with what you told me then I think you should go for it."

In truth, Rey still didn't know why Luke had spoken from beyond to tell her to go to some unknown planet, but she was grasping at straws for anything that might help her.

For the rest of the trip they flew in silence, each one concentrating on the surrounding sand but no Nightwatcher Worms appeared this time. It was probably the calmest trip they'd had in a long time and they left the graveyard without a hitch and arrived at the Resistance camp with no problems.

Rey just hoped this wasn't some sign for worse things to come.

The sand swirled around them as they landed but the general and her troops were already waiting for them with bags filled with provisions and weapons. The injured, including Rose, were on stretchers, also waiting to board. Poe saluted the general from the cockpit before the two headed to open the cargo bay.

"Wait." Called Poe as Rey was preparing to open the haul door, the fuel casket was already hovering calmly at her side. From around his neck Poe removed the necklace that held his mother's ring and presented it to her. Rey just looked him, very confused.

"My Ma, gave me this the day I became a pilot of the Resistence. I've worn it for every flight since then and I've come back each time against unbelievable odds." He shrugged sort of sheepishly as he spoke."I don't believe much in luck but I think you might be needing it on your journey."

Rey shook her head, unsure how to react to this."I can't accept this, your mother gave it to you for a reason. And I can assure you I'm a perfectly capable pilot."

He smiled before forcing the necklace into her hand,"I've no doubt about that, but let's call it a loan- give it back to me when you get back and I'll sleep a lot sounder knowing you have it."

Touched by his words Rey accepted the loan and put the necklace around her neck, safely hidden from prying eyes under her shirt. She finally opened the cockpit door and led the fuel casket to the Falcon while Poe helped the troops board their equipment and injured.

Rey had already fuelled the Falcon when Leia came with some final parting words.

"I hope you don't mind, but someone insists on joining you." She said, handing Rey a bag filled with more than a week's worth of provisions.

The scavenger gave her a quizzical look, momentarily wondering if Poe had changed his mind about letting her go alone.

"Chewie says that he goes wherever the Falcon goes." Leia gestured to the cockpit where the Wookiee was patiently waiting, pushing away a porg from the dashboard. "He also argued you'd need a copilot and I wouldn't want to be the one to argue with a Wookiee."

Rey smiled up at her co-pilot."Smart move."

"The droids Artoo and C3-PO have also been assigned to you- they might prove useful in unforeseen circumstances." Rey nodded, accepting the general's advice.

"Now Rey," Leia's voice put on a more serious tone."The Resistance will try get back on its feet here but if we need to move quickly I'll send you a message."

"And I'll get her as quick as I can." Nodded Rey.

"No, you take as long as you need at Ilum, the Resistance has survived this long and we will continue to survive." She gave Rey a knowing look. "You focus on finding the answers you seek. I can tell the events of yesterday have really shaken you."

Rey made as if to protest, even though she knew Leia's words were true she didn't want the Resistence thinking she couldn't help them. Leia stopped her with a calmly raised hand. "I've already lost one child to the Darkness and I will be damned if I let another one fall to its temptations under my watch." Leia then smiled, and the age and loss briefly appeared across her face. "I just wish I could go along with you."

Rey shook her head, also smiling now. "No, you have a job here."

And the two woman nodded their heads understanding their own individual tasks before them.

"May the Force be with you, Rey." Said Leia.

"And you too, general." She replied as she climbed into the Millennium Falcon where the Wookiee was waiting for her.

 **Whoop! Another chapter done when I really should have been studying but it was worth. The story's got almsot 100 follwers already! So what did you guys think of the latest chapter? Drop me a review, I'm always happy to hear form you and thanks again for reading! I'll try update ASAP but until then, may the Force be with you!- Luna Pendragon**


	11. Vader

**A.N: As I said before, I take no credit for the passage quoted below.**

Kylo Ren felt a muddle of emotion as Xand-Rig Ren left his office- anticipation, excitement and curiosity. The last time he had felt like this he'd still been a child. It had been the memorable day he had left his home planet of Chandrila with his uncle to start his training. He felt almost as childish, as he locked his office door, to ensure that no one would interrupt his work as he began a confidential search of the First Order's Bast Castle archives.

Since joining the Order he had meticulously gone through everything they had gathered concerning his grandfather, but not the reconciling old man Luke had met and spoke off, but the terror of the galaxy his mother used to tell him about when he misbehaved. He doubted Leia ever suspected the impact her stories would leave on her young son, how he'd savor the monster's blood that ran through him.

There had been a time where there had not been a single artifact about Darth Vader that Kylo hadn't studied but, since the start of the hunt for Skywalker he'd, unfortunately, slacked. As he browsed through the files that appeared on his screen he noticed that dozens of new documents had been scanned and archived, most of which had been added by the knight, Xand-Rig. That vane man had ensured that he would be recognized for all his contributions. However, today that young knight's vanity would prove useful to Kylo, knowing that Xand-Rig himself had archived the passage he sought, greatly reduced the workload.

As Kylo scanned all of Xand-Rig's files, he noted that over a hundred had been added since the last time he'd had the time to do any form of research and each one was named in some code that only the man who uploaded them would be able to understand. Kylo's curiosity overcame his anger and irritation and, with astounding patience, he began to search through them, one by one.

Scanning's of elaborately decorated texts and images of ancient weaponry passed across his screen, some were in an inconceivable language and Kylo momentarily feared that he would not recognise the passage. However Kylo banished the thought almost instantly. If the apparition was who he suspected it to be, he refused to fail. Even if that meant swallowing his pride and asking that irritating Xand-Rig to find the file for him.

Fortunately for the Supreme Leader, such humility wasn't needed. His eyes stung and watered as, after who knows how many images, a familiar line of text appeared on the screen. He read the first line and knew he had found what he was looking for.

Kylo Ren allowed himself a small smile as, with a swift array of button pressing, he caused an enlarged hologram of the scripture to come into existence in the center of the room. He stood to examine it more closely but it seemed utterly unimpressive. The parchment used was made of pale fibrous material and written in a rather plain handwriting. If Kylo had been looking for something of interest or importance he would not have given this parchment a second thought but, it was often the mundane that proved to be the most fascinating. The bottom part of the passage had been torn off and lost forever, but Kylo was certain he now had enough for his plan to succeed.

From a secret compartment along one of the walls he extracted the ruined hilt of Darth Vader, he had kept it safe and secret. No one in the First Order would know it ever left the throne room on the main battlecruiser. This time no voice spoke and no ghost appeared but it felt as if the hilt was humming in his hand, anticipating what was to come.

Kylo dipped his mind into the Force and through half closed eyes he began to read from the hologram, slowly and carefully, putting the Force into his voice even though there was no one who could hear him.

"The dark is generous. Its first gift is concealment: our true faces lie in the dark beneath our skins, our true hearts remain shadowed deeper still. But the greatest concealment lies not in protecting our secret truths, but in hiding from the truths of others. The dark protects us from what we dare not know."

"Its second gift is comforting illusion: the ease of gentle dreams in night's embrace, the beauty that imagination brings to what would repel in the day's harsh light. But the greatest of its comforts is the illusion that dark is temporary: that every night brings a new day. Because it's the day that is temporary. Day is the illusion."

"Its third gift is the light itself: as days are defined by the nights that divide them, as stars are defined by the infinite black through which they wheel, the dark embraces the light, and brings it forth from the center of its own self. With each victory of the light, it is the dark that wins."

He paused only for breath, Xand-Rig had chosen his elegy well. He could feel the power of the words coursing through his entire body, as if urging him to continue. The Force around him shifted, he had finally caught its attention and it could no longer ignore him.

"The dark is generous, and it is patient. It is the dark that seeds cruelty into justice, that drips contempt into compassion that poisons love with grains of doubt. The dark can be patient, because the slightest drop of rain will cause those seeds to sprout. The rain will come, and the seeds will sprout, for the dark is the soil in which they grow, and it is the clouds above them, and it waits behind the star that gives them light. The dark's patience is infinite. Eventually, even stars burn out."

Kylo had delved into the Force before, whilst training and meditating, but it had never felt like this. During all those years he had felt like a pebble being carelessly thrown into the Force's expanse, letting himself drown within in. Now it was different. Now he was the banks of a river, and the Force flowed freely through him. He could not just see the galaxy as it was in the present but how the Force saw. It was abiding but infinite. It began when the first life form emerged and it would end with the last. The Force was life itself, and so would rightly begin and end with it.

The thought should have frightened or angered Kylo but not at that moment. For the time being he saw it as the Force did. The beauty of life was that it had to end.

With exceptional calm the knight began to read the final stanza of the passage;

"The dark is generous, and it is patient, and it always wins. It always wins because it is everywhere. It is in the wood that burns in your heart, and in the kettle on the fire; it is under your chair and under your table and under the sheets on your bed. Walk in the midday sun, and the dark is with you, attached to the soles of your feet. The brightest light casts the darkest shadow. "

The hilt felt comfortably warm in his hand as he said the last verse. By now the Force had molded itself into a near corporeal form and he had not been the only one to utter that final line.

"The brightest light casts the darkest shadow." Said the scarred man from behind the desk, barley illuminated by the hologram's dull bluish, glow.

Kylo Ren bowed, all emotion and sensation that had swelled within him during the incantation had vanished, replaced instantly with admiration and awe.

"Lord Vader." He greeted, barely able to believe that he was finally meeting his grandfather, the great Darth Vader, at last.

"In this form I have yet to take on that name." The man spoke calmly and with a hint of amusement. "I'm glad to finally meet you in person, metaphorically speaking, Ben."

"The honour is mine." Said Kylo, raising his head and looking at the younger man. "I have almost accomplished what you started."

"Is that so?" The man raised a quizzical eyebrow. "If I were here to talk to you of such feats I would have appeared to in a different form."

He vanished, but the voice, which took on a slightly harsher tone, shifted to Kylo's left.

A deformed man, with scars across his face and scalp and a mask over his mouth, stood in the darkness, almost completely concealed in it if it weren't for the ghostly blue haze that surrounded him.

"The face of Darth Vader, the Sith Lord and we would be discussing your final moves to exterminate the Resistance scum." The old man nodded his head. "And if you were still that curious child that traveled to my son's training academy, another face I would have worn.'

And once again the man vanished, and the voice shifted to the right, becoming lighter and higher in pitch. A young boy with a head of blond hair and a splash of freckles looked up at him with the same bright blue eyes as his previous two forms. "Ani, the podracer from Tatooine, the dreamer of adventures."

But the child too shook his head before vanishing and the young man reappeared behind the desk. "But I believe it is from Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker that my grandson might heed a warning."

"Warning?" Kylo muttered, as he tried to comprehend the specters that had appeared before him, each one a different face of the same man.

"You are about to reach a crossroads like I had and the faith of the galaxy depends upon the choice you make." Anakin lightly shrugged. "It's the Skywalker curse. Our actions have a tendency of effecting a few planetary systems."

"If you speak of my conflict with the Dark and the Light." Kylo, slightly confused, explained. "I made that choice when I killed Snoke."

Anakin nodded his head approvingly, giving his grandson a mischievous smile. "You found the loophole so many miss- not choosing is also a choice. You accepted as well as cast away the teaching of both sides. Unfortunately, that is not the choice I speak of."

"Then what is is?" Kylo took a step towards the man, this was not the conversation he had been expecting with the old Sith Lord.

"As I told you, I chose this face because it's the face I had when I was the most conflicted in my life."

"If this has anything to do with Han Solo…"

But a shake of Anakin's head stopped his words.

"What choice do you believe mangled me enough to create Darth Vader?"

"The choice between the Dark and the Light." But from the Jedi's words Kylo highly doubted that.

"What would you say if I were to tell you a woman was involved?"

"Then I'd call it a rather badly written romance."

Anakin laughed and it felt as if the Force was laughing too. "I'd expect no less from my daughter's son."

When he finally stopped he continued to explain. "My choice- much like yours will be- was between the mind and the heart."

"I don't understand…" Kylo took another step towards the ghost.

"Very few people do, I sure didn't until it was too late."

"I assure you I have no such attachments."

"Really? Was there not someone you refused to kill?" the Jedi gave him a sly look, as if catching him in a lie. Anakin was right, during all his time with the First Order he only failed to follow orders twice- to kill his mother… and to kill Rey.

"That is your conflict, even that fool Snoke sensed it. Your mind wishes for power and to rule to galaxy in my name but your heart… well that desires something else."

"I can assure you…"

But Anakin cut him off. "You just don't know it yet. I was the other way round. I knew what my heart wanted but not my mind. I stole power to save her life but I drowned in it and dragged her down with me. I killed her with the power I sought to save her with."

"'Her'? you mean my grandmother?" Unpleasant pressure was building in his chest, the more the two spoke. This was definitely not what he had expected. And this woman Anakin spoke off, if she was his grandmother, she was the missing link in his family three? The faceless woman who had birthed the heroes, Luke and Leia Skywalker but whose name had been lost with her mysterious death?

"Senator Padme Amidala of Naboo." Anakin said her name as if in a dream. "All my choices, all the risks I took, I did them to be with her. But, at the final and most important moment, I chose the power." He smiled sadly. "You know I asked her to rule the galaxy with me? She said no, obviously, but I should never have expected any less from her. You must get that from me."

"I still don't understand what you mean."

"My time here is limited but you will soon enough, if you survive the trial that awaits you at the next dawn." Anakin gave Kylo a hard look. "Up till now you've walked in my shadow, making the choices you believe Darth Vader would have made. But now I warn you, the same choice will fall upon you and, with you the Skywalker saga must end. I have not come here to tell you what to choose but to give you some words of advice I wish I had been told. Don't let anyone or anything cloud your judgement, use both you mind and your heart. It's rare, but the two do agree at times."

Kylo wanted to argue but his voice failed him. The Jedi smirked at him, teasingly. "Ben I've watched you grow from within the Force. You leave your mark in it as I did but it's time to leave me in the past and follow your own path. I made my choices, now you must make your own."

Kylo desperately wanted to speak but it felt as if the Force had muted him, forcing him to listen and understand each word uttered. Anakin's eyes then fell on the hologram still projected behind Kylo.

"I found that passage during my conquests with the Empire." The Force ghost began to walk towards his grandson, but Kylo would have called it more hovering then walking-the man's feet just floated out of the ground's reach. "Although a part of it was missing I thought it's meaning blindingly clear. But things are rarely so, it's true meaning was lost with the final paragraph."

He stopped before Kylo, and he saw, under his stern gaze, a slight glimmer of affection. After all this was his grandfather, and family would always be important to him.. But as he spoke, the specter began to fade, his light becoming dimmer and merging with the Force once again.

"The dark is generous and it is patient and it always wins – but in the heart of its strength lies its weakness: one lone candle is enough to hold it back..."

By the time he had finished, the ghost of Jedi Knight, Anakin Skywalker, had vanished but his final words reached Ben Solo through the Force. "Good luck, grandson."

Kylo stood in the dim light of the hologram, dazed and feeling thoroughly exhausted, as if the conversation had drained him of all his energy.

That was definitely _not_ how he thought that conversation would go.

 **And chapter 11 is done and published! Thanks again for reading and what did you think of kylo's little encounter with his grandfather? I was scared it might come out a bit cheesy but I really enjoyed writing this chapter. Thanks again for reading and drop me a review if you want, I love to hear from you! I'll try update ASAP but, until then, may the Force be with you!- Luna Pendragon.**


	12. Padawan

Rey's body felt numb as jagged pieces of ice scraped past her body. They probably cut her but she couldn't feel it, the frigid water had stolen all sensation from her body. Her mind felt just as sluggish, as if it were still a few seconds behind her body.

When Leia had called Ilum frosty, that had been an understatement. Frozen would have been word Rey used. Snow and hail had relentlessly barraged the Millennium Falcon since it had entered the atmosphere, and the terrain was almost completely covered by snow. Steep mountains surrounded what might have been vallies or oddly shaped meadows. As they flew closer to the ground one thing was blindingly clear, there was no life on this planet's surface.

With much effort from pilot and co-pilot alike they landed the spaceship on a thickly covered flat ground, having accidentally scraped the side of the closest mountain in the process with an ear splitting screech. The ship rocked with a deafeningly loud crash as they landed, pushing the ship to its side. The ship had been half buried in an avalanche of snow.

Frantically Chewie had thrown Rey Han's old snow jack and sprinted out to inspect the damage. The wookiee must have had lighter feet then her or she had mistepped or, the more philosophical might have said, it was the workings of the Force- whatever the case a crack barely audible over the wind erupted from somewhere. She had looked up, fearing another avalanche but it was the ground she should have been concerned with for, where she once thought ground she realised it was ice covered with a calf high layer of snow.

That's how she now found herself floating endlessly with the currents, pulling her deeper into the darkness, disorientating her. With a forceful kick she struggled against the cold but that did little to help her find any form of escape. Each movement she made might make her situation even worse.

Resisting the urge to breath Rey tried to concentrate on the Force, allowing it to lead her to safety.

But nothing happened.

It might have been the cold corrupting her thoughts, or the deep darkness she floated within but something seemed to whisper- let go. Take that breath. If you disappeared now nothing will ever matter again, not this war, nor the Darkness, not even Ben Solo...

With stiff fingers she gripped the ring Poe had lent to her, she could barely feel the metal under her fingertips.

No, she refused to let it end like this, lost on some barren planet. She'd promised to give the necklace back to Poe. She had promised to fight alongside the Resistance… and she had vowed to get Ben back from the Darkness.

She focused on the Force once again, urging it to help her as if telling it of the consequences if it allowed her to perish there. This time it complied.

A faint blue light glowed below her, out of focus against the water. But Rey didn't care, she swam towards it, forcing all of the muscles in her body to respond. And she continued to swim, even as the pressure around her increased. Even if she were heading deeper under, the Force was leading her this way for a reason.

Her head broke the surface inside a narrow ring of blue crystals. She gasped for breath, each one feeling more painful than the last and the scavenger thrashed her arms and legs, fearing she might fall into the water's pull once again.

When she finally wiped the stinging water out of her eyes and opened them, the scene that greeted her was one straight out a fairy tail. The blue light that had guided her had not been a manifestation of the Force but the doing of thousands of fist sized crystals that mapped the cave walls like stars. Most glowed with a soft blue light but a few emitted a green and even purple glow, a sharp contrast against the rest. The whole thing was so ethereal Rey almost forgot to float.

Her eyes scanned her surroundings and, to her amazement, she saw what might have been stairs carved into the walls. With her breath coming out in thick white puffs she swam to the closest one and, with a little struggle, she pulled herself out of the water.

She was shivering with the cold as she dragged her feet out after her and her fingers were almost as blue as the crystals. However, strangely, the cave air was not cold but actually warm and inviting, as if the crystals were emitting warmth along with their light.

Still shaking, Rey grasped at the closest crystal, if felt firmly wedged into the wall, and pulled herself up. Her legs almost buckled under her as pain erupted across her body as her blood once again began to circulate. Tiredly she looked up at the stairs that spiralled up into what looked like a chamber, some feet above. Her eyes fell back down at the churning dark water below, its surface was coated in a thick layer of steam where the warm air met the cold water.

There was no debate.

Step by step she climbed, using the crystals as handholds to stop her from slipping as strength began to seep through her tired body once again. The stairs led her into a medium sized cave. Crystalline stalagmites and stalactites took up most of the space with smaller crystals growing out of the walls, filling the cavern with their warm glow.

The sight would have been breath-taking if the signs of life had not severely worried her. Scraps of metal and plucked feathers littered the ground and the remains of fires lay charred in some corners, one was still smouldering, an ominous stream of grey smoke lacing out like a snake.

If she had been any more tired she wouldn't have felt the slight shift in the Force but she moved, sluggishly, away and that saved her from being sliced in half by two blades. And not blades as in lightsaber blades, but actual metallic swords whose razor thin edges glistened in the alien light. Her assailant had jumped down from the ceiling and was draped in a large cloak covered in blue, white and grey feathers. The garment totally covered his face but the swiftness of his attack made Rey doubt that it was any hindrance to his movement.

She clipped her staff and she eyed the blade wielder. His stance was relaxed but the way his dark orange hands held them made Rey think of a trained warrior.

"I'm not here to fight." said Rey as she gripped her staff.

The figure didn't speak, instead he covered the distance between them with blinding speed and slashed with his blades. But Rey quickly side stepped and blocked both blades with her staff.

"Leave this place." Growled what was unmistakably a woman's voice. "Ilum has suffered its share from the galaxy's greed, leave here now!"

The scavenger swept her staff sideways, pushing the woman back but not for very long. With swift movements the woman fainted with one blade. Rey blocked and arched her back, narrowly missing being decapitated by the woman's other sword. With a fluid motion Rey swatted one of the woman's hands and parried, aiming for the other person's head. But the speed with which she blocked would have impressed even Kylo Ren.

"I can't leave." Rey finally answered, finding it particularly difficult to fight and talk at the same time. "I've got something to do here."

"Why are you here then?" the woman growled as Rey pushed her attacker back and the two parried, the sound of metal clashing against metal ringing in the air.

Rey stepped forward and the assailant aimed for her knees, their goal clear. It was too fast an attack, her staff was still in the opposite direction from her previous attack. With a defiant shout Rey released one hand off her weapon and with heightened focus she pushed with the Force, pushing the woman to the very edge of the pit Rey had climbed out of. With unwavering hands she steadied her balance but her weapons weren't so fortunate, both of which plummeted into the water below with a loud splash.

Rey took a deep breath, allowing herself to hope that she might have actually won this round.

She would never be so fortunate.

The unnamed woman stood on the edge, contemplating her options. Her response was to swipe back her cloak and reveal a navy blue tunic and a thick leather belt… upon which hung two very familiar hilts.

They couldn't be… but they were!

With the amazing speed Rey was still finding difficult to follow, she unclipped the hilts and from each hand emerged a humming plasma blade, one green and one yellow. Rey had never seen such coloured lightsabers before but she doubted they'd sting any less then Kylo's red one.

A million questions flew through her mind as the woman charged at her. How had she acquired such weapons? Had she found them? Had she taken them as trophies from previous kills? Or… were they hers?

Rey's first instinct was to block, but the dream of her battle with dark Rey was still fresh in her memory- of her staff becoming charred and useless upon coming in contact with those glowing blades. Instead she ducked, and spun onto a crouch, kicking the woman's feet from under her and aiming up at her chin from below.

The staff made contact and she flew into the air but she quickly regained her bearings and twisted her body, landing in a crouch, each blade held behind her like deadly wings.

This person, who ever she was, was agile and balanced yet ferocious in her attacks. She was no self-thought wannabe like Rey, but a trained professional. Even her emotions seemed under control, Rey felt no malice nor anger, just calm.

Rey aimed another attack at her stomach but with amazing agility the woman jumped over her head and instantly Rey's back stiffened as she felt the warmth of the two lightsabers surround her neck.

"Why are you here?" the voice whispered.

"I don't know." Admitted Rey, trying not to move as she spoke. "Luke Skywalker sent me!"

"Sky...walker?" the woman's voice faltered and she momentarily loosened her grip on the lightsabers, that was the first time throughout this whole battle that this woman's flow, her dance, had finally been disturbed. With a calculated motion, Rey jabbed the back of her weapon into the woman's stomach. She staggered back in surprise, releasing Rey in the process who only narrowly missed burning her neck.

Rey turned, trying to catch her breath when something squawked from one of the tunnels. She spared it only a brief glance but… was that a bird?

"Luke Skywalker?" The woman stood up straight again, her lightsabers held at her side but it seemed like she had stopped her attack, for now. "The son of Anakin Skywalker?"

Rey paused as she tried to remember the stories she had heard on Jakku. Was that Darth Vader's real name?

"I think so… what difference does that make?"

"Because I used to be his Padawan." The woman pulled back her hood. She appeared to be middle-aged but it was difficult to tell with human-like species. She was a Togrutan with dark orange skin and white markings over her face. Large white montrales and head-tails with blue stripes framed her face. The woman studied Rey with tired eyes. "I am Ahsoka Tano."

There was an awkward silence where it felt as if Rey should have recognised the name but could not.

"A Padawan… you mean like a Jedi apprentice?" panted Rey without lowering her weapon. "What are you doing in a place like this?"

"I'm tired of the conflict of the outside world." Rey could hear the tiredness in her voice. "It thinks me dead so I extracted myself from that life and now protect the final Kryber crystals in the galaxy."

"But why? If you were a Jedi…"

"I was no Jedi." Snapped Ahsoka sternly. "But that is not a story worth telling. I sense the Force is strong with you, young one."

"So I've been told." Muttered Rey.

"So I repeat, why are you here?"

"I don't know, master Skywalker sent me." Was Rey's reply

"Why are _you_ here?" Ahsoka repeated, emphasizing each word

Rey paused, giving her answer more thought.

"Because I need help." Was here final response and, she didn't mean too, but she felt her voice entwining with the Force, making it physically wash over the older woman. "I've got all this power and I'm scared I won't be able to control it."

Ahsoka smiled, her eyes softening slightly as she retracted her lightsabers and clipped them to her belt once again.

"That's better." She then walked towards Rey and studied her staff. "Is this your weapon? Do you not wield a lightsaber?"

"I used to." Rey sheepishly brought out what remained of master Luke's lightsaber. "It didn't survive my last battle."

The Togrutan's eyes instantly saddened as she gently took the broken hilt from her, as if frightened she might break it further.

"This was Master Skywalker's…" but the way she said it made Rey doubt she was referring to Luke. Ahsoka shook her head, erasing the sadness before looking back up at the scavenger. "This is why you are here."

"The hilt?"

"You need a new weapon. A Jedi's weapon."

"But I'm no Jedi."

Ahsoka looked Rey up and down.

"You're right, you do not possess the training of a Jedi but I sense that a battle lies in your future, and you will need a worthy weapon if you wish to survive. What is your name?"

"Rey… and I _do_ have a battle." She agreed. "This war will end soon but to do that I must fight a very skilled opponent."

"A Sith?"

"He's fallen to the Darkness…"

 _And I am going to pull him back_. She thought which earned her a look from Ahsoka as if she had read her thoughts.

"You will need a new lightsaber." Ahsoka gave a sly smile.

She clicked her tongue and a small handful of bird-like creatures emerged from the passages, with plumes of grey, blue and white feathers, the same as those that composed Ahsoka's cloak. Their beaks were sharply curved as if made of silver and instead of wings they had many jointed claws. They wobbled shyly towards them, squeaking slightly as they walked.

"Snowfeather birds." She explained, giving them an encouraging smile. "Inhabitants of this planet but impressively skilled in metal crafting."

One, a particularly small creature, walked up to Ahsoka as she handed him the broken hilt. He wobbled back to the others and they began chattering and jittering, passing the broken hilt amongst themselves.

"That's… good to know." replied Rey, not really sure what to say about arctic birds that were good with metal.

"We will handle the hilt, you must induce the crystal."

"Why are you helping me? You just attacked me!" quickly realised Rey. "How can I trust you now?"

"Look into the Force, young one." was Ahsoka's reply. "I fought you to protect this cave, do you feel any ill grievances from me now?"

Rey did as she was told and Ahsoka was right, she felt only calm wafting from the woman.

"What do you mean by 'infuse the crystal'?" Rey looked around at all the crystals that surrounded her, she'd need to be more specific.

"A lightsaber is made of two vital parts, the hilt and the central crystal." Ahsoka casually walked to the wall and chipped off a small piece of crystal, barely larger than a beetle. She threw it to Rey, who easily caught it. The crystal still emitted a blue light and it felt warm to her touch.

"You must infuse the crystal with the Force." Ahsoka explained. "It used to be a sort of right of passage for us padawans during the Republic. It's sort of like an extended meditation session- your mind will wonder, you might see people and moments already gone, scenes across the galaxy…"

One of the Snowfeather birds chirped and Ahsoka chipped off another blue peace and threw at Rey. "They said you'd need two pieces for what they have in mind. The whole process will take three days."

"Three days!" she exclaimed, her mind racing back to the Millennium Falcon. "But my friends back on the surface? They'll be worried! The last they saw me I disappeared down a frozen lake!"

Ahsoka gave it a moment's thought and then clicked her tongue. One of the birds clicked back and disappeared though one of the passages.

"Rex will inform them of your safe arrival and that you will return in three days if everything goes well."

"Can something go wrong?" Rey enquired as Ahsoka led her to a small broken stalagmite, it's surface polished flat.

"The mind may wander too far and thus be unable to find its way back." She shrugged as she sat her down. "Don't worry, that rarely happened back in my day.

'R-right." though Rey felt uncertain about that last bit, something else was also bothering her. What if, during her meditation, she met Ben and led him to Ilum? Ahsoka had come here to escape the war and she highly doubted the snowfeather birds were any good at defence. This planet had suffered enough under the Empire, she didn't want to bring the First Order here as well.

"Don't worry, everything will be fine." Ahsoka said reassuringly as she knelt before Rey and, once again, the scavenger wondered if the old padawan had some idea of her thoughts.

Ahsoka clasped her hands around Rey's and around the two crystals and breathed on the crystals. Rey felt a pressure begin to pass itself into them. Ahsoka then let go of her and Rey unclasped her hands, the crystals hovered between her palms, their glow slightly brighter than they previously were.

"Now close your eyes and focus." Ordered Ahsoka standing up.

Rey nodded her head before closing her eyes and concentrating on the floating crystals. She felt a pull in her gut but that slowly vanished.

She opened her eyes and found herself still within the crystal cave but she was floating several feet over the ground. She looked down to see her own body in serene meditation, the crystals still lazily floating before her. Ahsoka had turned her back on her but she looked up at the floating Rey and gave her a small smile as if she could see her.

"Never thought I'd say it's nice to see you, Kid." Rey's head jerked up at these words, only to see the slightly amused face of Luke Skywalker before her.

 **Sorry for the wait guys, but exams are finally over and I hope it was worth it. What did you think of the chapter? drop me a review I always love to hear from you guys and thanks again for reading it! I hope you guys enjoyed this latest upload and I'll try update ASAP. However, until then, may the Force be with you! - Luna Pendragon**


	13. Snoke

**HI! So I know it's been a while since I updated so you might have forgotten who the OCs are but i need to use them for this chapter so here's a recap ;)**

 **Wkyt Ren: Knight of Ren, idolises her master Snoke, thinks Kylo is up to something, is working with Hux on some secret plan.**

 **Xand-Rig Ren: Also a Knight of Ren, youngest of the lot and is a know-it-all, helped Kylo find the scriptures a few chapters back and wants to find out what happening between Hux and Wkyt.**

 **And no, without further ado, chapter 13:**

Wkyt paced the deserted chamber with silent steps, her mind calmly contemplating what was to unfold that night. What was asked of her was a trivial thing, she had done far worse deeds on her travels. She was in the Jedi Execution chamber in the heart of the ancient Sith temple on Moraband. In this very rooms. before these same titanic statues of now nameless Dark Lords, an innumerable number of Jedi had been killed and their remains used for now lost macabre Sith rituals. Only hours before, the Knights of Ren had set their own master's corspcorpse ablaze in this very hall, believing they were bidding him their final farewell.

They had been very wrong.

Wkyt Ren stopped before the smoldering pyre, the fire had died not long after her arrival and the smoke that once smothered the room had all but vanished. The Knight knew, if she'd dared remove her mask, she would have very little trouble breathing the sulphurous air now. Studying the pyre closely she noticed that, by now, all that remained of the body was an unrecognizable charred form that glowed an ominous red within the dying embers.

"Paying your final respects?" Hux's irritating voice reached Wkyt from the entrance of the hall. She sighed, it was really getting on her nerves that she couldn't sense his presence within the Force, she felt almost blind without it.

"You are late." she noted, casually turning to face the older man. He was in the standard First Order uniform- a knee length black coat and a smirking face- and in one hand he protectively clutched a tiny book whose cover was so weathered, its title had vanished long ago. However, if what Hhux had told her was true, what layied between the covers was invaluable.

"I had to make sure I wasn't being followed by any unwanted guests."

"Is that the book?"

Hux gingerly brought the black leather book into the torch light. " One of Snoke's precious Sith Texts."

"Must have been the pocket edition." She comementedcommented

"The ancient Lords were wise." Defended, Hux walking up to her. " They kept their secret rituals separate to ensure that, if one somehow fell into enemy hands, they would possess only an insingifncinantinsignificant portion of the Sith's knwoledgeknowledge."

"And you're sure you can read it?" Wkyt was skeptical of every word the general said, power was his sole goals and him attaining it all depended on what they discovered here, provided what they had planned actually worked. Wkyt had seen many wonders performed by the Force, but even what Hux proposed seemed like something out of a dark child's story.

"Master Snoke drilled it into my mind." He confidently answered. " If the book weren't a vital part of the ritual I would be perfectly capable of reciting this myself."

"Pity you also need someone who is strong with the Dark Side." She retorted.

"And the remains of the deceased." Hux gestured at the glowing remains. "When you want we can begin."

Sneering behind her mask she thrust her hand in the still weakly burning ashes. Even through her gloved hand she could feel the heat but for the sake of her master, for the sake of getting answers, she endured the discomfort, clutching a fistful of the ash without complaint. Wkyt slowly retracted her hand, not wanting Hux to notice her annoyance.

Much to her irritation, he then pointed to the altar behind the pyre with his chin, as if she were a typical stormtrooper taking orders. They had discussed the details before meeting so Wkyt would have gone even without being told but his action were infuriating, as if he had somehow gained rank over her.

With steady steps she approached the ancient altar that seemed to be made of the same black material as the rest of the temple. It held no decoration except for a single crimson kyber crystal. However, this was no ordinary crystal, Wkyt could sense its connection to the Force. This was no artificial crystal like those that powered her weapon and of all the Dark side users before her. This was a real kyber crystal infused with the Force, it was the crystal of the first Ssith Lord, the first person to ever contemplate the possibility of using the Dark Side of the Force.

It was an artifact as old as the Sith itself

"Now you must repeat after me." Hux ordered once she'd stopped besides the altar. "Exactly as I say it. A single mistake could produce catastrophic results."

"Make sure not to make any mistakes then." She ordered. "Begin!"

And without hesitation Hux opened the little book and began to read in a harsh, incomprehensible language. Wkyt didn't struggle to keep up with the man's words even though they felt like sand in her mouth. She infused each word with the Force, manipulating the menacing energy entrapped within the chamber to suit her needs.

As she focused, she could hear the screams of the souls of all the Jedi whose lives had been ended here, their spirits forever trapped, tortured by the knowledge that they'd never become one with the Force. She called their energy to her, manipulating their Force for her own needs, in return they berated her with the memories of their final moments- the pain of amputation, the swiftness of decapitation, the humiliation of being tortured by the enemy.

Wkyt pushed on however, her voice never wavering as she allowed the ashes to trickle out of her hand on the alter'saltar's dark surface. Even as Hux stopped speaking and the final words vanished from her lips, the screams of the condemned continued to fill her ears but, so far, nothing else had happened.

"We need the final ingredient." Observed Hux

Wkyt sighed, must she do everything?

"Xand-Rig how long to plan to hide and watch?" She called, her voice echoed around the chamber. The youth's form shifted into existence, his presence had previously been muted but Wkyt had become accustomed to the younger man's ways over the years. He had become predicable in his actions, she knew his greed for knowledge would lead him to follow her into the temple that night.

"I was wondering how long it would take for you to notice me." The young man emerged from the shadows, walking calmly and with an air of overconfidence.

"Don't put yourself at the same skill level as me. I've known you were there from the beginning." Wkyt corrected, brushing her hands and facing the young Knight.

"So I am this final ingredient?" observed Xand-Rig. "A blood sacrifice I presume?"

"The life and blood of a devout follower." Shrugged Wkyt. " No hard feelings but I need to get answers and Snoke can give them."

"So you planned to forcefully recall his Force Ghost." Xan-Rig observed sounding interested, his gloved hand calmly falling on the hilt of the lightsaber that hung at his side. "Intriguing concept but I believe your blood would be just as suitable as mine."

With a swift movement, Xand-Rig Ren broth forth his lightsaber, it's red light illuminating his masked face, its hum barely audible over the screams. Wkyt copied his motion just as swiftly.

"Today only one of us will lea..." But whatever Xand-rig wanted to say died on his lips as he looked down at the hole that had suddenly appeared in his chest and the sound of a gun being fired finally reached their ears.

Both Wkyt and Xand-Rig turned in slight confusion at Hux, who had his lazer gun in hand, a small trail of smoke floating out of the nozzle.

"You two would take too long to fight it out." Sighed Hhux, as Xxand-Ririg crumpled to the ground, dropping his lightsaber as he uselessly tried to stop the bleeding with his hands. "Too much acrobatics, light effects and talking for my taste."

Hux then threw Wkyt a small dagger which she easily caught.

"Get the blood, it's almost dawn."

"You have no honor in how you do things." She observed, walking over to the gurgling boy. Wkyt couldn't see his face but she could sense that the boy wasn't long for this world as she put a reassuring hand on his shoulder. Xand-Rig tried to push her away but his strength was swiftly leaving him.

"Feel proud, Xand-Rig, you die so that we may acquire the knowledge you spent your whole life seeking." And, without remorse, she slit hehisr throat, allowing the thick blood to coat the dagger's blade. Without a second thought she stood and turned her back on Knight and headed back to the altar.

She flicked her wrist and allowed several drops of blood to land on the altar and mix with the ash. After the sixth drop the screaming within the woman's ears vanished and the red crystal's glow within the alter suddenly increased tenfold, as if warning them of a dangerous arrival. The ash swirled on itself upon and Wkyt sensed a unsettling shift in the Force, as if something that should have remained buried had resurfaced.

"Master." Wkyt whispered as out of the pyre the luminous red form of Supreme Leader Snoke appeared. His scarred face studied Wkyt without expression before looking at Hux and an approving nod. A nauseating feeling filled Wkyt's stomach as she saw the silent exchange.

"You have done well, my apprentices." Snoke's mouth moved but it was not his voice but that of Xand-Rig that they heard. The Knight slightly adjusted her position, the boy was obviously dead, the front of his uniform glistened in the torch light with blood, but his mouth moved, speaking the Supreme Leader's words. "Now speak swiftly, my time her is brief."

"Master." WKyt bowed her head as the crimson spirit turned to her. " who"Who was the cause of your death?"

Snoke hissed. " A TraisterTraitor within the Order."

"But who?" she continued, her voice pleading but her mind already knowing the answer. Her suspicion was confirmed with that alone but she had to hear him say, for the name to leave her dead master's lips… metaphorically speaking.

Snoke's form flickered and her sneered at the Knight. "Wkyt your blood would have sufficed better, the sacrifice of a weak follower will only give you so much time."

"Then answer my question Lord Snoke!" She practically yelled as his form flickered again. "Who is this traitor? Who was it that wielded the lightsaber that ended your life?"

Snoke narrowed his eyes, his form once again fading but Xand-Rig's voice spoke his final words clearly.

"Kylo Ren…."

Silence then filled the chamber. All that work… All that planning... for such a brief conversation! But it wasn't wasted, at least now Wwkyt had a name and she knew what she had to do now.

Kylo Ren hadn't slept that evening. He'd continued to replay his grandfather's conversation in his mind. After speaking with the old Jedi Knight, certain things had become blindly clear while others were still shrouded in mystery. Certain other things he'd said… Kylo could not fathom their connection with his present situation.

The Supreme Leader stood at the edge of the security parameter, looking up the towering valley walls as the sky began to change into a vermillion-red colour.

"Iif you survive the trial that awaits you at the next dawn." his grandfather had warned him.

It was now sunrise and Kkylo couldn't help wonder what would come with it.

"Kylo Ren!" the Supreme Leader was not surprised when Wkyt called him, he had sensed her before she'd even exited the temple, her rage suffocating the Force around her.

He casually turned to her as she stopped several feet away with her lightsaber drawn and aimed at his face.

"Do not be Rash Wkyt Ren!" Hux was panting behind her, as if he had been struggling to keep up with her, though why the two had been in the temple together Kylo did not know. btuHowever she was not blind to the blood staining Wkyt's uniform- something dark had happened within the temple's walls.

Several of the stormtroopers patrolling also stopped, at a safe distance, to watch the scene unfold.

"I challenge you to the Saber's Trial!" She called.

Hux openly groaned, as if Wkyt had just done something extremely idiotic.

Kylo sighed, so that was what Anakin had meant.

 **And that's chapter 13! What did you guys think? I hope you enjoyed the chapter, fell free to drop me a review, I always love to hear from you! Thanks so much for reading and I'll try update ASAP :D – Luna Pendragon**


	14. Tomb

"Master Skywalker?" Rey's voice left her like an echoing breath. "How are you here?"  
"Who did you expect to see? Jabba the Hutt?" Luke half-joked, shaking his head.  
"Who?"  
"Never mind. " He emitted what Rey might have described as a low chuckle. "Do you know why you're here?" His voice returning to his normal seriousness.

"Ahsoka said it was to make a lightsaber..."  
"Yes, yes." Luke interrupted, waving away her words as if they didn't have time for this. "That's why you are here _physically_ , but why are you _here_ , right now, in the Force, talking to me?"  
"I was hoping you could tell me that." She confessed, her confusion deepening the more they spoke. "You were the one who called me here."  
She attempted to look down at where her body was meditating but, at some point, without her realizing it, the world around her had dimmed to black. She looked back up at the old Jedi, although his skin was aged and his hair grayed, a sense of calm and certainty radiated from him. It was a sharp contrast to the frustration and reluctance she had felt from him in life. The old man before her was the Jedi Knight she had expected to meet during her journeys, albeit not the one the course of history had forged.

"What did you expect me to say? Are you a naive child who traveled to this treacherous planet simply because an old man in a dream told you to do so?" But then his voice deepened slightly, " Or are there answers you wished to find here?"  
Rey paused, or it felt like she paused, time seemed to pass at its own pace here. There were many questions she wanted to ask but one kept resurfacing.  
"I'm losing control of the Force." The words came out dryly, "and I don't know how to keep it in check."  
Luke bowed his head, a sly smile on his face as if Rey had given the response he'd expected.  
"So I answer this with another question, do you know why this is happening?"  
But before the youth could even consider an answer the Force seemed to respond in her stead. The blackness around them lightened, replaced by a cloudless blue sky and a relentless span of reddish-brown sand. The sensation of her feet sinking into the sediment, the warmth of the planet's two suns across her face... if it weren't for the eerie silence that surrounded them, Rey might have suspected they were truly back on Jakku.  
"A grave?" Luke's observant words directed her attention to a small rectangular slab of red stone. Rey took a couple of steps towards it, there was writing engraved on the surface but, as she knelt before the tombstone, and her fingers gingerly traced the markings, she realised that they had faded beyond recognition and yet... she had a unpleasant feeling she knew who this grave belonged to.  
"It's my parents'." She whispered as a shadow fell over her. She looked up, expecting to see Luke, but instead she saw a man and woman, draped in layers of tattered and torn clothing. They could have had any stature and size, from where she knelt, there was not a single distinguishing feature about them. Even their faces, were shrouded in an impenetrable shadow, obscuring them from their daughter's eyes.

"They were nobodies... low life's that sold me for drinking money." She spat the words as the anger and disappointment swelled up within her, creating a small whirlwind of sand at her feet.  
A reassuring hand gripped her shoulder, and as she turned, this time she saw Luke's face. There was no pity or sympathy, but a look of understanding, as if he knew what she was going through. Then it dawned on her, he actually _did_ know how it felt to be disappointed by a parent. If there was one person in the galaxy who really understood how Rey felt at that moment, it was Luke Skywalker. What must it have felt like to discover his father was the feared Darth Vader? With that thought the emotions dimmed slightly and the storm around her quietly ended.  
"It doesn't matter into what family we are born, but the family we choose to create." There was no mocking or skepticism in his voice, for once Luke was clear and understanding.  
She stood and spared one more glance at the faceless couple before she turned her back on them for good. Luke's words mingled with those Kylo had told her not so long before. Killing your past was not the sole solution.  
The old Jedi gave her a reassuring nod, no smile nor words just a nod, but deep down she knew that was all she needed. It was easier said than done though, to turn her back on her heritage, to not care that her parents were not great nor significant people in the universe, to not care that they never remotely cared about who she was. It would take time but she was not bound by blood, her family were those that had been beside her and would remain beside her, no matter the situation- Finn, Leia, Chewbacca, Poe... even Han and Luke! That was the family she had chosen without realising it.

However, as she thought this, she realised there was someone missing from that list and she hated the fact that she acknowledged his absence.  
"My nephew." Luke finally said, and for a moment Rey wondered if he had, somehow, read her thoughts. "He was the one that made you aware of your parentage, right?"  
"So that I'd join him." Rey spat, it wasn't a moment she cared to remember, the Darkness had been so close, it had almost suffocated her.  
"You and he are bound in a way that the galaxy has never seen before." Luke said, lowering his hand. "The two of you were born to counter each other."  
"The Dark rises, so the Light attempts to smother it."  
"A closed minded lifeform would think that." Countered Luke. "But Ben saw the true meaning behind your power, albeit his means are corrupted. There must be no Light nor Dark, there must be just balance and the Force."  
"I don't understand." Rey began, "That pit, on Ahch'To, you warned me I had an affinity to the Darkness!"  
"And I feared it and you." He sounded apologetic as he said this but continued to speak. "We fear what we don't understand, and during my life I saw the world as a man would, with fixed lines separated in black and white." But he gestured to the desert around them. "But in the Force I see the galaxy as it really is, not black or white or even grey, but in an infinite multitude of colour.  
"My nephew saw the answer." Luke repeated, "But he cannot bring balance to the Force without your help. The path he has chosen is one of Darkness, but you must guide him, not to the Light but to a compromise. Remember Rey, just as you saw Light in him, he saw Darkness in you. We are all made of the two, and only when we accept that will we find balance and maybe, only then, will all these pointless wars end. The Skywalker Saga will- no, _must_ end with you and Ben."  
Rey was speechless and she found herself muttering "Skywalker saga...?" Everything Luke had just told her went against everything she had been told! It went against everything those stories- those stories that had raised her- had thought her!  
But looking at the aged face of her greatest hero, hearing him say these words... She had lived on the tales of his adventures, of him fighting the Darkness and his flights through the stars. But this wasn't his story, this right here, this was hers, and it would unfold according to her choices.

Still, she couldn't get herself to say anything other then, "Uh-huh. Are we really calling it the Skywalker Saga?"

Luke shook his head disbelievingly. "Kids today… I tell you all that and the name is what sticks?"

"Oh I heard all of it, but I can't wrap my head around all of it at once." Rey shook her head.

"Kid, I know it's a lot…" But whatever Luke was about to say never reached Rey's ears. A painful feeling tugged at her stomach and in an instant the desert plane around her was replaced by a dark, star speckled sky. Her arms were outstretched and when she looked down she was balancing on what appeared to be a golden rope. Her balance wavered in her surprise and she wobbled, not wanting to fall into the abyss below.

"Luke?!" she yelled, afraid to move her head, to even breath, for fear that she'd fall.

"Luke!" she yelled again but the only response was the wobble of the rope beneath her.

What was happening? Where was she now?

From the infinite space around her a wind spontaneously blew against her, carrying upon it a feral scream, like an injured animal. Rey rolled her arms for balance, but she could feel herself slipping and she herself screamed, her voice accompanying the one already woven into the wind.

She gasped, her heart pounding and her breath unable to fill her lungs with air. She blinked against the sudden light, the sky was the crimson colour of blood and the clouds an even darker shade of red. At her feet the pebbled ground was a mass of black, like that of black hole, as if it could absorb all the light that hit it and give nothing in return.

Her back went rigid as the pained growl reached her again. Rey turned to the source of the sound and her hands shot to her mouth at the sight.

Rey had almost rehearsed the words she would tell Kylo Ren the next time they'd meet. She had created scenarios in her mind, some involved Kylo purposely targeting her on the battlefield, others involved her finding him like she had on Snoke's ship. She had venomous words to inflict pain on the older man for what he had done to her and the rebels, others were simply angry words to counter those he had once told her, to fill him with the same anguish he had once filled her with.

But she never expected to see him like this.

He was on one knee, his lightsaber crackling where it stood, piercing the ground. One hand was gripping its hilt, his shoulders were heaving and his breath was coming out as painful gasps. Sweat and dust smeared his face, his dark hair sticking to it in clumps. And the blood… there was just so much! His jacket was in tatters, scorched to reveal the skin underneath and even that was a burnt black, blood seeping out from every injury she could see.

And his eyes, they widened when he saw her. But they weren't the tortured eyes of a conflicted man, or the hungry eyes of one that had succumbed to the Darkness. They were the eyes of a dying man.

 **And here's the next chapter! Sorry it took so long but been getting quite a few assignments lately and haven't had the time to write. But what did you guys think? I really hope you enjoyed it and feel free to drop a review, I'd love to hear from you. Also, a little side note, I'm going to be changing the story's title form The Monster and the No-Body to The Knights' Fall- hope you guys like the little change. Until next time- LunaPendragon**


	15. Trial

The Saber's Trial- the words were whispered amongst the Stormtroopers, breathed from one to the other as they patrolled outside the Sith temple of Moraband.

The Saber's Trial- the name was said in hushed voices amongst the First Order crew as they worked through their usual duties upon the Supreme Leader's ship.

The Saber's Trial- the air seemed to hum with the words, with the mystery and intrigue that accompanied their unknown meaning. Since Wkyt Ren's abrupt declaration that morning, very little else had been on anyone's mind other than that. However, outside the Knights of Ren, no one still alive knew their meaning, and what they would cost.

But, amongst the knights Wkyt's words held an unimaginable weight. No matter where they had been, whether meditating or sleeping, her words resonated through the Force. No one outside of the Knights knew what would befall their small order but they gathered around Kylo and Wkyt, the Stormtroopers not daring to block their way. In silence the three Knights took their places between the two challengers, their arms behind their back in a solemn silence as they waited for the final Knight. But this was just a courtesy, they each knew that Xand-Rig Ren would not be joining them ever again.

"You may proceed." Kylo ordered, his eyes never leaving Wkyt as he wondered what had provoked her so and what she had done to their youngest member. "Our numbers will only decrease further today."

"A faith you have only brought upon yourself." Wkyt calmly retorted, her resolve hardening the longer she looked into the Kylo's eyes, the eyes of the man who had murdered her Master.

In a silent agreement the remaining three Knights separated, Plog and Isne Ren would accompany and aid the challenged, as well as prevent him, if necessary, from escaping. Todo Ren accompanied Wkyt for similar reasons, but it was more likely for the challenged to attempt to run then the challenger. Once a trial has been called, no was not an accepted answer.

The stormtroopers and crew feigned an attempt at carrying on their work but a rumour had spread, the questions would be answered at twilight, the mysterious Saber's Trial would be unveiled only then.

For Kylo Ren, there was no secret associated with the challenge. He had fought in it twice before, and twice before he had been victor. His grandfather had warned him that a trial would await him at dawn, now his survival would be determined by evening.

You might have thought there were better ways than meditating for Kylo to pass the potentially last day of his life. He could practice and spar against Isne and Pog, who just stood at attention some distance away. Through their masks, Kylo could see nothing, but he knew they were watching, analysing his movements for any sign of escape.

But Kylo had no intention of doing so, if he survived the Saber's Trial, Rey would be his next opponent. If he lost to Wkyt, their final battle would never happen.

Crossed legged on the dark ground, he thought of these things. He would not be disturbed, not to sleep or eat. The challengers were too fast over the day, to focus their energies on what was to come.

So instead Kylo allowed his mind to wonder. He once again swam against the currents of the Force, unlike when he had spoken to his grandfather. He pushed against it, struggling to keep on the surface and in return the Force berated him with memories and thoughts he'd pushed into an escape pod and expelled into the abyss of Space in his mind..

He saw his twin sister's face, one he hadn't seen in almost twenty years. It was plump and Rosey and smiling down at him. At that age, she was already taller than him and she would have grown to be a strong woman like their mother, he never doubted that. But an artifact, a man that should have died with the Empire took her away from him. They'd been taken and he was the only survivor. That was the day he'd discovered he was able to use the Force. He'd almost destroyed their home when he did.

His mind then wondered to his time under Luke Skywalker's tutelage. He remembered faces, so many now lost in time - Wkyt's smiling blue face as she beat him in combat practice, Todo cheering when he'd found his Kyber crystal on Illum. Of course back then they used different names, but those too had vanished with the faces, burnt away by the Snoke's whispered temptations and Luke's emerald lightsaber.

He saw other memories, but they blared- burning villages, the echoes of blaster fire, the flash of a crimson lightsaber and blood, a lot of blood. He heard Rey's tortured screams from the first time they'd met and her defiant growl when they'd fought in that snow filled forest. He remembered her saddened eyes illuminated in the burning embers and the light that had washed over him, even just momentarily, when they'd fought side by side in the throne room.

He sighed, not wanting to remember anymore as he opened his eyes. Isne and Pog were standing before him, there shadows so long they seemed to be an extension of their cloaks.

"It's time." Pog said gruffly as Kylo stood. With no other words they led him to where he had been standing just that morning, where the challenge had been called. The hordes of Stormtroopers followed in their wake, all protocol lost as their curiosity took over. Wkyt was already there, her black cloak replaced by a lightweight jacket. Her trousers coated in dust and Todo's coat was burnt, she clearly had been sparring in preparation.

The crowds around them continued to grow, at one point Kylo caught a glimpse of Hux's red hair, but that too soon melded into the crowd. The knights pushed them back in silence, leaving a wide triangular space within which they would fight.

"Remove your mask, Wkyt Ren. Death will face you, eyes unobscured, at one end of the saber." Yell Isne.

With a click, Wkyt unclipped her helmet. The Pantoran's blue skin was stained purple in the twilight. Her sapphire hair was shaved short, the white marking of her clan glistened like blood on her face. Her amber eyes never left Kylo's as she threw her helmet at Isne, who caught with ease

"The rules are simple." Explained Todo, as if, over the years, the rules had not been forgotten.

"All weapons are allowed." Continued Pog, his voice echoing over the crowd.

"But the final blow must be cast by a lightsaber." Added Isne.

"The battle will end only when one opponent's life is ended." Finished Todo.

Kylo and Wkyt did not react to the words. They had both heard them before. The Saber's trial had been a rite of passage, an initiation into the Knights of Ren. Let's just say, when they had left Luke's temple, they had been more than just six.

At last, the true meaning of the Savers trial became clear to all.

"Begin!" All three knights yelled.

There was a swiftness in their motions that the first order had never seen. Like invisible restraints had been cast away, this was a battle of survival in the truest sense. Two had walked into this battle but only one would walk out.

Their lightsabers were ablaze and Wkyt snarled as she began to walk around the parameter, Kylo mirrored her actions, his eyes never leaving her own as he focused on the Force.

He knew how she worked, how she fought but that didn't mean he knew all her tricks. After all her bloodline was unique in itself, although she looked like a Pantorian, she had the blood of Dathomir within her.

For a few seconds they walked, neither wanting to make the first move, but Wkyt's patience was far shorter than his. She charged at him, one hand gripping the weapon. It was a weak attack, one easily blocked. This wasn't like her, Kylo had witnessed Wkyts strength before, this was all just an act, what spell was she conceiving?

"What's your game, Wkyt?" He hissed pushing her back, but she quickly retaliated with another blow, and another blow which Kylo quickly blocked.

The woman brought her tattooed face close to his and Kylo expected her to make some response but instead she blew into his face a toxic green gas that filled his nose and burnt his eyes like acid. He staggered away, cursing.

"Did you expect me to fight with blades, Kylo Ren?" Wkyt taunted as the last of the smoke left her mouth and Kylo rubbed at his eyes, his vision blurred. "My skill with a lightsaber is no match for yours but my magic is a different matter."

"What have you done?!" He growled blinking, trying to clear his vision, two Wkyts danced before him, causing his anger to bubble the more she smiled.

"Why don't you see?" She said, spreading her arms.

He shouldn't have fallen for such an obvious trick, but either the spell or his anger was clouding his judgement. He charged and struck piercing her through her shoulder.

Kyloe cringed as the smell of burning flesh reached him but he stiffled the pain as he felt a fire bloom through his own shoulder. He staggered back, his free hand flying to his injured shoulder. A hole had signed right through his jacket to his flash, scorching it black.

He bit back the pain as his own blood ran through his fingers.

"What have you done?" He repeated with more venom in his voice.

"My pain is yours." She explained walking towards him, unphased by her own injury that was still steaming slightly. "I don't need to live I just need you to die first." And she covered the distance between them in blinding speed. She slashed and Kylo managed to block, her blade burning through the sleeve of his jackets and just hitting the skin. He could feel it blister and burn but the injury didn't appear in Wkyt's body- it would seem this spell only worked one way.

"You've learnt a few tricks then?" and he pushed her back.

"Snoke sent me to the husk of the planet of Dathomir for a reason, the ghosts of my sisters taught me all I needed." She charged again, her lightsaber aimed at his heart, her left flank was unguarded but Kylo didn't attack, if he injured Wkyt, he too would suffer the injury.

So instead he blocked and she laughed hysterically.

"You fight me, you die. You don't fight me? You still die. What's the great Kylo Ren to do?"

The thought had already crossed his mind but he voiced no answer. He kicked her legs under her and, although she did fall, he felt the impact himself and he fell to one knee. Wkyt continued to laugh she rose, taking her time. Her movements were slow and lazy, like those of one who already knew she'd won.

The crowds around them moved agitatedly, each one silently supporting their own competitor. She stood before him, a sneer on her face.

"You know you have no way of winning and yet you continue to look at me with such defiance. That look, without a doubt you are the child of rebel scum. Master Snoke made a mistake when he chose you to lead us."

"So that's what this is all about?" Kylo tried to get to his fit, "Jealous Snoke liked me better?"

But a stinging pain erupted from his face as the back of Wkyt's hand hit his face. He flexed his jaw, it felt disconnected slightly.

"I am above such meagre pursuits." she growled, "I learnt what you did."

"And what is it you claimed to have done?" But her response was to slide her weapon down the side of his neck, burning into his flesh.

He closed his eyes, trying to ignore the pain.

"Tell them what you did to my master!" she yelled again, slicing at his calf, cuasing him to grip his lightsaber for support, he tried to get up and swing it but in one fluid motion Wkyt's pushed it into the ground, the plasma beam melting the stone where it touched. She then slashed at his side so deadly that blood seaped through the burnt skin.

"I will only stop when you tell them!" She spat, and the audience fidgeted uncomfortably.

"I did nothing." he said, through strangled breath trying to stand. But Wkyt hissed and directed her own weapon to herself, allowing the blade to pierce her own palm. Kylo let out a feral scream at the sudden, pain that surged through him, her could see the hole forming through his hand, though if wkyt felt the same she didn't show it.

"You and I both know we can do this all through the night if needs be." She growled, pulling her own and free. "You will talk, I will make sure you confess to your crime before I send you into the Force, one limb at a time."

She was right, the two of them had been trained, both to efficiently torture as well as to withstand it. The two of them could do this for days, Kylo though doubted he would survive for that long. His breath was already coming out in ragged heaves, and the burns across his body made it difficult to move. And, even if he managed to counter attack, there was still the problem of Wkyt's injuries being transmitted to him. He had no doubt he could defeat her, but he had no desire of taking himself along with her.

He had no desire to allow this war to end by anyone's hands but his own.

He had no desire to allow Rey to fall by anyone's blade but his.

He had to bring balance to the Force.

For those reasons he had to win this battle, he was the protagonist of this story and he would see it through to the very end.

That's when he saw her.

It must have been an apparition, his mind or Wkyt's spell playing some trick on him.

It must have been a hallucination, was he that close to dying that he had conjured her to see his torturous end?

Rey was standing to the side, a hand covering her mouth as her hazel eyes looked back at him with an emotion he could no recognise or describe.

Why did she insist on being here, even at the end?

 **Hi! Thanks so much for reading! what did you think of the new chapter, feel free to drop a review, always love to hear from you! No, I know Kylo doesn't actually have a sister but I'm thinking of writing a Kylo** **origins and/or Ezra Bridger return story and thought I'd just include her a bit here ;) Thanks again for reading!- LunaPendragon**


	16. Figments

Sometimes it felt to Kylo Ren as if the Force, of faith, depending on on how you looked at it, persistently dealt him a bad hand. To being the child of two legendary heroes to the death of his beloved sister, it appeared to him that life, in general, was against him. But that evening, basking in the chilling light of Moraband's dying red sun it truly felt as if faith had dealt its very final hand.

The Rey that stood before him was a perfect replica of the woman he knew. She had the same familiar face and chestnut eyes but they were devoid of the ferocity and fire he'd come accustomed to seeing within them. That is how Kylo knew this must have been part of Wkyt's plan. She looked at him as if he were a wounded animal, with pity and sadness and something else he couldn't quite name. When had he last seen such a expression?… yes… not too long ago… it had been on his father's face right before he'd killed him. Actually, even as he'd plunged his lightsaber into his gut, the old man's eyes hadn't changed.

It was infuriating.

"Dealing with apparitions now, Wkyt?" He snarled, putting raw anger into his voice, physically pushing her back with the Force. He could feel a similar pressure against him, but he rose against it, if he was going to die anyway, it would be on his own terms, and not taunted by a mad woman. "I didn't think illusions were your thing."

"Illusions?" Wkyt snarled, straightening out and glaring at the man. "What are you talking about?"

Furiously he pointed at Rey's direction, she lowered her hand and looked at him with confusion. "That fake!"

Wkyt didn't even turn her head for she knew that nothing stood there. "Is this some trick of yours for me to lower my guard? You must be really desperate to believe I'd fall for such a desperate trick!"

"Do not play games with me!" He bellowed, causing the whole crowd to stagger back, the anger and power in his voice catching them off-guard. Kylo almost fell on one knee as the spell effected him, panting from the struggle and his injuries. When he raised his head, Wkyt was struggling to sit up looking dazed but the Rey apparition stood there unphased looking at him as if she'd finally understood something.

"Ben," She said, trying to keep the mixture of emotions out of her voice. "This is no trick. I don't why I'm here in the Force, but I am."

She took a step towards him but he snarled and she stopped, it felt to her as if she really were dealing with an animal. But, looking at his blood shot eyes and bleeding injuries, wasn't that all Kylo Ren was at the moment? She should have felt relieved that after all Kylo had done to her and the Resistance he was being punished but she couldn't find the energy, at that moment, to hate the injured man before her. He was damaged in more ways than one but after talking with Luke she'd began to realise that everyone was damaged- but that was still no excuse for what he had done either.

Kylo continued to ignore her and hissed. "Make it vanish! You know such tricks will not work on me!"

"And that's why I'm not!" Wkyt casually said, standing and dusting herself off. "Whatever you think you're seeing is a trick of your own mind. I believe torture is the best way to get you to talk, silly mind tricks were more a Jedi's skill." As if to prove her point she swiftly reignited her lightsaber and sliced off her own thumb. Kylo cringed as he gripped his own hand, blood dripped between the hilt of his lightsaber and his finger but his eyes never left Wkyt, obviously making an effort not to look at Rey.

Rey had felt confused many times over the last few weeks but she had also become accustomed to finding her own answers. The blue woman seemed unphased by her self-inflicted injury, in fact, it didn't even appear to be bleeding, the lightsaber cleanly cauterizing it, so why had Kylo's spontaneously begun to bleed? The woman had called this torture, but it wasn't of any type Rey had ever seen. It seemed crueler.

Rey was also feeling very annoyed with the situation. The Force had seen it fit to drag her across the galaxy, away from her body and Luke to this morbid planet. She didn't know how this Force Bond worked but, for the first time, she had been brought to Kylo rather than vice versa. And now that he had, albeit unwillingly, brought her here, he didn't even dare look at her, trying his hardest to ignore her into oblivion.

Her fuse finally snapped when he repeated to the woman to make her vanish.

"You stuck-up, half-witted, son of a scruffy-looking nerf herder!" She yelled, at this top of her lungs. So loud that the crowds around them twitched uncomfortably even though they couldn't see her. So loudly that even Wkyt sensed the shift in the Force and silently wondered is Kylo was actually seeing something she couldn't. So loudly that Kylo could no longer ignore her. She covered the distance between them in seconds, standing between him and his assailant. "I don't want to be here but the Force brought me to _you_! I am here because of _you_ so _you_ will not ignore me!."

With each 'you' she yelled, she jabbed him in the chest, it was only then that Kylo began to believe that, for some reason, the apparition before him, now fuming, was the real Rey. Each time she touched him he could feel her anger and frustration just as he had in the campfire light what seemed like an age ago.

But this was also a two way streak, everytime they made contact, she captured a glimpse of what had lead to Kylo standing before her, wounded and a portion of the pain his injuries were inflicting. She could sense his emotions like daggers in her, so many they threatened to drown out her own. However two things became blindingly clear:

Kylo was determined to fight against her in the upcoming battle.

And Kylo Ren was also dying.

Now having Kylo's full attention, she didn't want it. She looked up at the sky, she had no idea where she was and she couldn't make out much past the crowd of Stormtroopers. Nonetheless she looked up at the sky and thought of what Luke had told her before. Kylo and her were meant to bring balance to the Force, each born to counter the other. It felt like a test, but for what she didn't know. It was like the Force had brought her here with two options: Allow Kylo Ren to die, postpone the forthcoming battle… or save Ben Solo.

But how could she save him? She had heard stories of how the Jedi were capable of healing certain injuries, but she'd shrugged it off as a story, something to prove that the Jedi were not simply warriors- that there was something else to them.

She finally looked back at Kylo's raw eyes, he was a product of one such story, why would that make the others any less true?

With an uncertain breath she raised a steady hand, allowing it to hover there, wondering where she was meant to place it. She chose his forehead, feeling all the more foolish for doing so. She closed her eyes, unable to look at him and feeling her cheeks burn as she did so, trying desperately to concentrate on the task at hand.

In her mind's eye she could see every injury across his body, planned out before her like map and she did the only thing that came to her. She pushed some of her Force into him, filling the gaps in his skin and vessels with it, begging for them to close and heal. She couldn't grow back limbs, and she was certain they would leave scars but this was all she could do. She didn't open her eyes, but she could hear the unnamed woman shout indignantly as Kylo's injuries began to heal. It was working, but fatigue and weariness were now washing over her. But she pushed herself until ever scratch was gone.

Finally, after what felt like hours (but was probably just seconds), she severed the sapphire bond that linked Kylo and the woman, the root cause of his injuries, as she had discovered. She willed the Force to do it as her arm fell limply to her side.

Only then did she open her eyes.

Neither one spoke but their eyes said it all.

Kylo Ren now knew where the Resitience was hiding, they would next meet on the battlefield.

Then the tiredness overcome her and Rey fell back through the Force.

Strong arms caught her and through drooping eyes she could she the wrinkled face of Luke Skywalker.

"Imporessive work, for an amitour." He observed. "For better or worse you saved my wayward nephew." Rey could hear the approval in his voice, but her vision was beginning to blare.

"You've used too much of your own Force, Kid." He continued. "You must get back to your own body now!"

"I can't..." The words felt like lead in her mouth and they were taking more effort to pronounce. "I don't know where I am anymore."

"Most of us don't for majority of our lives." Luke said, probably thinking of his own time spent as a hermit. "But you've got an anchor kid, use it." And with a gentle hand luke led her own to the ring that hung around her neck. The ring- Poe's ring- she's made him a promise, that she'd give it back to him. She'd promised Finn and Leia that she'd return…. She'd promised to fight for the Resistance.

She's promised to save Ben Solo.

When Rey opened her eyes she was still clutching the ring in her hand but Luke was gone. She was sitting, once again, in the crystal crusted cave on Ilum, the smell of wood fire filling her lungs as her eyes focused on the figure sitting cross-legged before her, a glistening piece of metal on her lap.

"You've had quite the trial, my young friend." Ahsoka spoke whimsically, her alien eyes opening and regarding Rey with interest. "I believe this weapon will serve you well."

And, with a grace foreign to Rey, the old Padawan handed her the hilt. Rey examined it with awe, altough the metal shone in the crystal light Rey could see where the metal had been fused, like arteries and muscle filaments fusing not only to mend, but to improve. They had not only made her a lightsaber, they had repaired Anakin Skywalker's in the process.

"It's beautiful." Was all Rey could menage as she examined the birds workmanship in awe, there was no word she knew that would accurately describe this workmanship.

"And now I have a request for you, payment for the lightsaber construction if you may." Rey's hands stiffened at Ahsoka's words, of coarse nothing comes for free.

"What is it?"

"Let me join you to Jakku." Ahsoka said, helping Rey stand. "I don't know if it was seeing my old master's weapon or meeting my old friends, but I think it's about time I entered the world again. I've fought in two wars, a third will make little difference to me now."

Rey beamed but also asked. "Old friends?"

"Oh, Chewbacca, Artoo and I go way back." Smiled Ahsoka, waving her hand casually. "Now let's get going, we have a war to win."

 **And there's chapter 16! What did you guys think? I'm very excited, the last few chapter have already been written and this story is finally coming to a close. Thanks so much for reading and I'd love to hear from you! Until next time- LunaPendragon**


	17. Time

It was night when the Millenium Falcon flew into Jakku's atmosphere, some miles away from the Resistance base. The lack of explosive fire told Rey that the First Order had yet to arrive. Kylo would need a few hours for his orders, and himself, to reach the main assault ship. That gave her time, but not much of it.

Chewbacca growled from the co-pilot's seat and R2-D2 beeped excitedly from the entrance.

"They are right." Thoughtfully agreed Ahsoka, she was sitting behind Rey, her eyes closed in meditation. "I sense peace on the surface, war has yet not arrived."

"Let's hope they don't shoot the messenger then." replied Rey, adjusting the thrusters and navigation port. "C3PO, hail the base, tell them we arrived."

"Very well, Ms Rey." The gold droid creaked from further within the ship. Rey could now see the base, a barely visible shadow with just a handful of lights, carefully lit, to indicate the barest signs of light.

5 days was all the time she had given them.

"Millenium Falcon to Resistance Jakku Base." the rest of C3PO's protocol response merged into the background, until three simple words injected themselves into her mind. "Cleared for landing."

One of the landing stations lit itself into existence as if to agree. Chewbacca and Rey maneuvered the ship towards their new destination and landed with an ease and fluidity that would have made Han Solo crack a sarcastic comment.

The droids disembarked first, bickering like an old married couple closely followed by Chewbacca, who growled his opinions, though neither droid paid him much heed. Ahsoka and Rey followed not so long after, the old padawan having discarded her Snow-feather cloak for a simple grey tunic and leggings that she had had stored in her pack, the only thing she'd brought with her from Illum. Strapped around her waist with thick leather belts, the hilt of her lightsabers hung, one on either side.

Ahsoka stopped at the top of the ramp and took a pleased breath. "It has been so long since I've breathed warm air."

"It really has been a long time, old friend." General Organa stood at the bottom of the ramp. Although it was the early hours of the morning, and the princess had, most probably, been roused from bed, she looked as if she had just emerged from an extended board meeting.

"Princess." Greated Ahsoka, walking down the ramp.

Leia let out a light lough. "Don't you think I'm a bit too old for that?"

"I see some things do not change."

"Oh no, I've got the wrinkles to disprove that." Then the old woman's blue eyes fell fondly on Rey. "Was Ahsoka who Luke sent you to find on Illum? My brother was always wiser then he let on, she'll undoubtedly be an invaluable asset ."

"Actually…" Ray unhooked the new lightsaber that hung near her own hip and presented it to Leia. The woman's eyes filled with emotion as she comprehended what she saw. "You fixed Luke's lightsaber."

"And not only that." She continued. "The First Order is on its way."

Leia did not look surprised at Rey's words, as if she always suspected that the youth's arrival would harbour such a message.

"Rouse the base." She sternly ordered to her guards. "We will make our final stand here on Jakku."

Like a hive of bees, the base was instantly alive with energy. The lights remained dimmed but the brightly dressed pilot fighters and their droids were hard to miss as the first light of Jakku sun began to peak over the horizon. Technicians worked on the turrets around the border walls, adjusting targeting systems and blast radii as if their lives depended on it- which it did. So many faces... most of which Rey didn't even know their names of... most probably she never will after today. She just hoped she'd given them enough time to extend at least the life of one.

Rey's first stop was within one of the Tie-Fighter hangers. After the battle of Crait, not many pilots were left, but the few that did worked on their ships diligently. It was the high pitched beeping of a familiar orange droid that led her to who she was looking for. Poe's handsome face was already covered in beads of sweat as he manually adjusted some piece of machinery, possibly the blasters, from the outside of his ship. A massive insignia of the of the Resistance had been painted on its side.

"Poe!" She called, causing the older man to look back towards her, wiping his forehead with his sleeve, only to leave an oil streak in its wake. BB-8 rolled towards her, beeping in excitement to see his old friend again. Rey gave the small droid a small smile.

"I see your adventure to Illum was a success." He gave her a dashing smile, which probably had made all the girls, and some of the boys, on his home planet swoon. "I assume all this chaos is your doing?"

She shrugged. "Part of the job description."

"Tell me about it." He laughed lightly, patting the droid as it barreled into his knees.

From around her neck, Rey carefully removed the necklace upon which Poe's ring hung. "And my debt has been paid."

Poe gingerly took the ring back, his smile faltering slightly. "I was only joking about that."

"But I wasn't." She carefully said. "You said you never went on a flight without it. I don't want this battle being any different."

He put the necklace around his neck, the old gold circlet reflecting the dim light. "I appreciate that."

She gave her friend a sad smile, Ray hoped she'd given him more time.

Rey's next stop was the Med bay. Medical droids were clumsily walking from around the room, arguing with patients as they pulled on their uniforms and began rushing out, eager to help in the battle. The Med bay was quickly emptying, but Rey wondered how long it would take until it began to fill again.

Only two people showed no intent on leaving. One was a pale girl, who lied in a comatose state. Rose- Rey had never spoken to the engineer but she knew she'd risked a lot to save her friend when she had been away on her own quest.

The other person was Finn, he sat in a chair beside Rose, his elbows on his fidgeting knees, his dark eyes never leaving her face. Rey half wondered if he'd even realised the state the base was in at that moment.

"Still nothing?" She quietly asked, causing the man to jump to his feet in surprise.

"Rey?" He yelled, instantly pulling her into an embrace. She hugged him back, happy to be reunited with her friend. "Are you alright? What happened?"

"I don't have time to explain." She quickly said pulling away. She had to get something of her chest because Rey didn't know if she'd ever have another chance to tell him. She looked at his eyes brimming with emotion, and finally found the right words.

"You cannot keep looking at me like that, Finn." For so long she had been oblivious to his feeling but after her trip into the Force, it felt she could comprehend, or at least recognise more easily, such emotions. "Things are going to change after today, for better or worse."

Finn looked like he wanted to argue, but Rey continued before her courage decided to fail her, and she'd be needing to call it back pretty soon on the battlefield. She couldn't spare too much of it.

"You are the first person I'd call my friend Finn, a real friend. But that's all I can be to you. Rose…" She gestured to the sleeping girl. "She'll need you to get through this and you, her. Things will change after this and us… there can be no 'us'"

The youth didn't wait for his answer, she walked over to Rose and put a reassuring hand on Rose's forehead and focused on the Force. This felt much easier then when she'd healed Kylo. It was like pulling her out of a dream. She'd barely felt the tiredness when Rey finally opened her eyes.

"She'll be awake soon…" She began to say, but Finn pulled into another embrace that Rey wasn't entirely sure how to react to.

"That's where you are wrong." He murmured into her shoulder. "There will always be an 'us', no matter today's outcome. It might not be the 'us' I want but it will always exist. You were my first friend too Rey, and no matter what happens today, no matter the outcome, that will never change."

Rey accepted his words with a sad smile he couldn't see. He broke the embrace as a rustling from beside them indicated the first signs of awakening.

"Finn…?" The woman's unfamiliar voice sounded small and weak, but Finn broke the embrace and took the other woman's hand in his own, muttering reassuring words to the confused woman as he did so.

Rey began to walk out of the Med bay in silence, sparing them a final glance from the exit.

She hoped she'd given them a little more time together.

Rey's final stop was in the command room. Every single monitor was on, showing the multiple scenes from around the base. Only Ahsoka, Leia and a young girl whose hair was in buns stood here- no hands could be spared in these final preparations.

"We've pulled a few strings but do not worry," Leia was telling Ahsoka, as she nodded her head at Rey's arrival. "They are safe on Lothal. After the Thrawn incident I forbad them from taking part in another war. They have already done more than could ever be asked from them."

Ahsoka nodded her head in gratitude. "That's good to hear. I hope, after all this, to go visit them. I can almost imagine how much Jacen has grown."

"Yes," agreed Leia. "He's much like his father."

But the rest of the general's words died on her lips as the first Star Destroyer appeared on the central monitor.

They were finally out of time.


	18. Balance

Kylo Ren had killed many people during his time in the First Order. At first he could remember their faces but as the toll got longer, those too faded into an indistinct lump. Humans and aliens and creatures irrespective of age and size, he did not discriminate. Even Wkyt's face, a woman he'd known most his life and who only recently had joined the list, had also begun to fade.

He had never wavered to kill anyone… except two women... but he would not make that same mistake again. If he came across either of them, he would end them without hesitation.

That was Kylo's belief as he deflected a Resistance blaster with his lightsaber, sending it, steaming, into the sand. He was flanked by what remained of the Knights of Ren, they deflected the blaster fire with a mock ease as the Stormtroopers charged by, getting shot to the ground by the Resistance troops positioned along the base wall or blasted blasted into smouldering pieces by the tie-Fighters that bore the Resistance emblem. The At-At Walkers made their slow way towards the base, none had yet fallen but the ring of turrets were delaying not only them, but also a few of the First Order ships that were foolish enough to fly too close to the ground.

Actually Kylo was impressed by the efficiency of his mother's small army. The armoured bodies of his troopers already stained the ground and yet he saw not a single one in Resistance uniform. His mother was playing with tactics, she knew there was no escape and no reinforcements this time. The Resistance would make its final stand within an ancient Imperial base.

But while the majority of the Resistance took aim from the walls or danced along the sky, only two silhouettes stood calmly on the sand. Somehow, every shot directed their way had miraculously missed their point. Kylo knew Stormtroopers had a reputation of missing, but he believed something else might have been at play at that moment.

He recognised them instantly. One was a Togrutan he hadn't seen since his childhood, an old friend of his mother's whose name he couldn't recall. The other was Rey, her arms crossed and a defiant look on her face. Her eyes were on him and only him. The world around them was being blasted away but they could see only each other. Both had been warned of this battle and both were prepared to end it, at whatever cost.

"You think you can handle them?" Rey asked as one of her hands uncliped the hilt from her side.

"I've dealt with inquisitors with more teeth." Observed Ahsoka, there was no arrogance in her voice, just with the confidence of a woman who has been on a battlefield innumerable times. The Togrutan ignited her lightsabers, one in each hand, and fell into a fighting position.

"And the stormtroopers?"

"Their skill is nothing to the Clonetroppers _I've_ trained." Ahsoka then turned to Rey. "You just focus on your own battle."

"May the Force be with you Ahsoka Tano." Rey replied, igniting her lightsaber and allowing its blue light to warm her face. The hilt seemed to hum in her hands, eager to join its first battle in its new form.

"And with you, Rey."

And the two women charged into battle, their different coloured lightsabers attracting the attention of all who saw them.

"Remember, the girl is mine." Kylo snarled as the knights raised their crimson weapons, and charged.

Rey and Kyo collided first, the Force filling each step they took, each breath, each heart beat. They collided with such power that the sand below their feet erupted into a swirling storm, obscuring the rest of battle from them. They could each feel the Force flowing through them and, for once, they didn't even try to hold it back. They were no longer restraints but conduits.

"You've got yourself a new weapon it seems." Observed Kylo, pushing her back. The earth felt to shift under their power and the intensity of the swirling sands increased but Rey reamined unphased, feeling unusually calm. She charged, fainting right, towards his face. Kylo dodged easily and he gripped her arm, causing her to stop, his lightsaber pointed at her heart.

"Not exactly."

At her words he looked down at the weapon, hs eyes widening in recognition. "You fixed my grandfather's weapon… without the other half?"

"I was offered an option." She ducked, sliding away from his blade as she kicked him in the groin, causing him to release his grip on her weapon. "I just decided to create another."

With a slight struggle, he tried to straighten up, the pain, although trivial. had been effective. "Impressive trick."

"And that's not the only one." She charged him, kicking up sediment. Her blows were short, sharp and accurate, the results of years surviving in the desert. It took Kylo all his skill to block each attack, their lightsabers buzzing at each contact.

The knight dodged, pulling her towards him and causing her to stumble forward, his years of training coming into play. He leaped, aiming for her exposed back when another red lightsaber blocked his own.

He was pushed back in his surprise, looking for another assailant, his mind adjusting to the fluidity of battle. But when Kylo turned to face him he now saw her weapon for what it truly was- a double bladed lightsaber with one end producing a cool blue beam, and from the other, a fiery red one. The red blade was surprise enough, for in his mind, he always associated such things with the Dark side, but its nature, too, was different. Unlike the artificial crystal that powered his own weapon, this was naturally red on. Never, in the history of the galaxy, had someone intentionally entered a battle wielding both a red and blue lightsaber.

Rey held it, the blue blade aimed at his face, like she once used to do with her own staff. She charged at him, he blocked and parreid, this time taking the attack. He sent strike after strike, the to maneuver around both blades. Although Rey blocked each one, her foot work was failing, sending her further back, the sandstorm following around them, become more aggressive and more one sided.

In what kylo would have called a desperate move she parried and stabbed forward but with unnatural speed and reflexes, he blocked the attack and with a fierce, flick of his wrist sent it flying spiralling in the air. Rey made to catch it but Kylo swiftly raised his lightsaber to her neck. One wrong move her head would have flown off. He raised his other hand and cought Rey' weapon with ease and pointed it's blue blade at her. She was now totally out of moves, by his calculations.

For a few seconds they stood staring at each other. Fire burned in her eyes and she was panting from the effort of the fight and bleeding from multiple burns across her hands. He could sense her in the Force there was an intent to kill but it was different. She intended to kill Kylo Ren… but save Ben Solo- though how she thought of doing that he wasn't sure.

"Do it then Kylo Ren." She spat and yelled. "Kill me! Prove to your troops where your allegiance lies! Prove it to the whole galaxy!"

"I just want to bring balance." He retorted. He looked at her face, dust and sweat covered it. Her hair had come undone and was swaying, not so calmly, in the Force induced winds. "I offered for you to stand beside me."

She carefully shook her head, avoiding the murderous beams. "You asked the wrong question, you asked me to rule besides you."

"Trivialities of language." He tried to brush it off. Why did he insist on dragging this out through meaningless conversation? Why didn't he just close the gaps between the blades and just end her? end all of this? but his hands refused to do what his mind told him...

She would just be another name on the list, under Wkyt and his father and the countless others. So why did he hesitate? Why couldn't he make himself do it.? This is what needed to be done.

But that's the thing, there is a fine line between need and want.

Rey, looking into Kylo's eyes, never allowed herself to look away. Did Kylo know the emotion they betrayed? The turmoil and confusion? The pain? The hurt? The contradiction? His voice said words but his eyes told stories.

"This ends now." She hissed and, with reflexes only one honed with the Force could master, she gripped his hands and twisted his wrists, causing both weapons to fall to ground, melting the sand into a molten puddle. She never released his wrists as she took a step towards him.

In the time of that step Kylo had just enough time to wonder, how would she kill him with her hands still holding back his?

But that wasn't her intention.

She kissed him with the ferocity of a damn finally breaking free, with an emotion so strong it belittled a blue star. She let he Force run free with her emotions. The walls she'd erected crumbled into dust and were swept by the Force. Her journey across the galaxy had led to this. She had been born to counter Ben Solo, that is what the universe needed from her.

But were what she wanted and what it needed the same?

Irrespective of the right answer, he kissed her back and the walls around them crumbled.

 **Just a bit of Reylo at the end :3 what did you guys think? Drop me a review and thanks again for reading! Last two chapters to publish ... -LunaPendragon**


	19. Kylo

When it was said that the walls crumbled, that was not metaphorically speaking. Cracks in the Base walls suddenly spread far and wide, lessening their stability just enough to cause the Resistance to retreat to the ground. Part of the wall had already been destroyed by a Walker, it was about time they go out in the open.

Ahsoka spun in the meantime jumped over the last remaining Knight of Ren, causing him to stumble like a drunken fool. She fought with the grace and skill of a dancer, wielding the force as if it were a flow of water, willing it as she needed. She landed with a near silent thud, balancing perfectly on the breastplate of a fallen stormtrooper and swung both her lightsabers with ease, the knight's head flopped to the ground before he could even blink. Ahsoka wiped the sweat from her brow, the Jakku sun was unrelenting, making the battle no easier. She looked around her, she had felled so many…

She looked up at the sky, explosions erupted all around. Reinforcement had arrived, or so Leia had told them through the comlinks. Now that Ahsoka had joined the battle she had insisted they use her name to get some help. This came in the form of Maz Kanata and the Mandolorian Peace Corp. Sabine had come through- like always. A star destroyer had already fallen through the atmosphere some distance away with such force that Ahsoka could have sworn the whole planet had shook.

Ahsoka's eyes then fell to the swirling storm that obscured Kylo Ren and Rey from her view. She could sense them in the Force, but even that was unclear. Up till then, the cyclone seemed to confine infinite amounts of turmoil but, for some reason, that had now calmed into silence.

Once the storm had been erected, both sides had given it a wide berth, no one wanted to get involved with what was happening within it. That's why, when she saw the dark figure, running with a blaster towards it, it didn't go unnoticed

"Hey!" she yelled, but the noise of the battle drowned out her voice. The man vanished into the storm with the ease of a knife through butter. Ahsoka ran to follow but was pushed back. As she expected, there was the Force infused into that storm, preventing anyone from interrupting what was happening within. But then, that begged the question, how had that man just managed to pass through?

It was Rey who broke the kiss, unable to hold her breath for much longer. Her heart was pounding with such ferocity that it practically deafened her. She opened her eyes, to see Kylo's warm brown ones looking down at her but she averted her gaze, not wanting to read into them. But when she remembered what she had just done she felt her cheeks flush, all her courage having been swept away with the adrenaline.

The two were standing guiltily close. As some point she must have released his wrists because she found her scarred hands on his chest, she could feel the rough material under her fingertips and his strong arms around her waist. Irrespective of what they had been through, standing there in his arms she felt the safest she probably ever hand. But she refused to look up at him, to say anything as a realised embarrassment caused her face to burn even more.

What if Luke Skywalker had seen them from within the Force?

It was such a childish and innocent thought but it forced her out of his arms in embarrassment. What had she done?

What had he done?

She rubbed her hands, still feeling his jaket under them. She never thought she'd survive this far so she really hadn't thought of what would happen next. She finally look up at him, but what could either one of them say in this situation?

Neither person sensed the presence that had joined them just a moment before. Neither Rey or Kylo saw him take aim and fire. Rey did feel the pain however, like a hundred volts were running through her.

Kylo saw Hux too late, never in his life did he feel so helplessly slow. He hadn't even comporehended the blaster, by the time it hit Rey.

But after that things went hopelessly fast. Rey fell forward, a stream of rancid spoke floating up from her back. Instantly, like a click of a switch, the storm around them faded. But at that moment Kylo didn't see the bodies of his fallen Knights, or the Mandilorian and Takodana ships surround his own, threatening for surrender from what remained of First Order high command. If Kylo had been looking at Hux, he would have seen the malicious smile on his face as he aimed his blaster at Kylo. That grin stayed on his face even as Ahsoka's twin bladed lopped his head off.

No, all Kylo could see was Rey falling forward. He caught her with a grace that did not match his size. The blaster had scorched through the back of her shirt, leaving an arachnid-like scorch mark on her pale skin. He carefully laid her down, shaking his head at her closed eyes. After all that.. After that… that… he hadn't even had the chance to say anything- to feel anything! His lips… his chest it all still felt as if it he were on fire from her touch . But now a silence filled his ears and it wasn't just because of the disappearing storm. The Force-Bond was vanishing, the thing that linked him and Rey together was disappearing, because Rey was dying. At that moment she was there in his arms, but not for much longer and there was nothing he could do.

No, that wasn't quite right. Looking at the injured girl, he remembered how, only a few hours before she had saved him from death. Back in his youth Luke had shown him how to do it, to heal someone through the Force. But that was a trick of the Light side, he had been basking in the darkness for too long now, he wasn't capable of such a thing.

Still holding the unmoving Rey, he looked up at Ahsoka, who was standing some distance away, a lightsaber in either hand but she made not move towards them- not yet anyway. The hard stare she gave him ws expectant and observant, as if waiting to see what he would do next.

Looking at her brought his grandfather's voice resonating back to him. He had a choice to make, and that would determine the faith of the universe. He had assumed the choice was between killing or recruiting Rey, or between the Light and the Dark. Now the options were obviously clear, save Rey and join the Light, or let her die.

But feeling her fade from his grasp he also remembered something she had told him. She had been offered an option, but decided to create her own. Looking at her and what had just happened, all the things he had said and all that had yet to be said. He didn't care for the Dark or the Light- he just wanted to save Rey.

But to to that he had to try.

He heard shouting as what remained of the Resistance and their colleagues found them but the blare of Ahsoka's lightsabers kept them at bay, as Kylo put his hand on the scavenger's forehead and shut his eyes and concentrated. He saw the force bond, made of a now dying light. Standing beside it Kylo could see himself or how he had been before he'd met Rey, a visage of his grandfather, following in Darth Vader's memory. Kylo didn't even recognise the masked men before him but the message was clear. Kylo Ren had to die to save Rey.

He raised his hand at the man and clenched his fist. The main silently dissipated into thousands of glowing flecks that flew towards the thread, strengthening its light.

Ben Solo opened his eyes, releasing a tired breath. After all that, it had ended so simply. No death defying fight or memorable words, just like this.

A hand gripped his own, guiding it away, revealing her half open eyes. Rey smiled gently up at him and Ben smiled down at her, wishing the whole Resistance wasn't staring daggers at him so he could kiss her again. He was that relieved she was alive.

 **Hey :) so final chapter after this, thanks so much for reading and I hope you enjoyed! Drop a review, always love to heard from you guys :D- LunaPendragon**


	20. Skywalker

It had been many years since the Naberrie Estate had had any guests of significant importance. Cracks webbed across the the villa's marble banisters, the damask curtains were faded into different shades of red and pink. The gardens grew wild around the back of the building like a miniature forest. At the center, barely visible through thicket, a fountain stood, dry and silent, a green moss obscuring the statue's face.

Sadness pricked Leia's heart as she looked around, even in its old and neglected state the building still stood proud and strong, and reminded her heavily of her family's summer estate back in Alderaan, back when it still existed.

"I'm sorry, we were not expecting guests." A woman's unfamiliar voice brought her back to reality. Pooja Neberrie, probably a handful of years older than her, with white streaked brown hair and weary eyes, dressed in plain blue robes. In her delicate hands she held a small silver tray with two small teacups with golden flowers beautifully painted on them.

"Thank you." Leia took the cup, smiling, taking no notice of the small chip in its handle. She nestled the cup in her hands, allowing the tea's pleasantly sweet smell to wash over her. "I'm sorry for coming here unannounced."

Leia's dark eyes fell on the other woman that sat across from her. Wrinkles lined her ancient face, her skin was ghostly pale and her eyes were so dark they were almost black. A black lace shawl covered her silver hair and she looked painfully thin in her black dress. With a silent nod, Sola Neberrie accepted the cup her daughter handed her with shaking hands.

"Oh don't worry about that." Said Pooja, giving the princess a small smile as she took her place, standing at her mother's side politely. "Though I still cannot see the reason the great Princess Leia Organa would come visit _us_ specifically. It has been many years since my family was involved in anything significant."

Sola rested her cup in her hands on the small wooden table that separated her and the princess. The woman had not said a word since Leia's arrival but her inquisitive eyes told her that she was paying attention to every detail of her visit.

"Yes, I have been meaning to visit Naboo for many years…" Leia said.

"I'm sorry it isn't as hospitable as it used to be, not even our small planet was noy spared from the wars." Pooja apologised, as if it were her responsible to keep the state of the planet up to standard.

Leia shook her head lightly, "I'm her on a more _personal_ reason then to sight-see."

Pooja rested her hand on the back of her mother's chair, giving Leia a questioning looks.

"It concerns Padmé Amidala, your aunt." Leia's eyes then fell on Sola,"your sister, or so I have been told."

"Aunt Padmé?" Pooja choked, quickly blinking, "But she died years ago!"

"Well yes.." began Leia faltering slightly, unsure how to continue.

"You...you have her eyes." Suddenly said Sola, her face softening as she spoke.

"That's… nice to know." Leia croaked, taken aback by this little bit of information.

"You are her daughter, aren't you?" Continued Sola, her eyes already glistening with tears.

Leia nodded her head with a faint smile. Pooja gasped in shock, raising a hand to cover her mouth, as if trying to hide her surprise.

"I only recently learnt the truth from my son …"

"But how can this be?" Pooja looked down at her mother, searching for answers but the old woman's eyes never left Leia's face, as if taking in every detail, every feature she shared with her late sister.

"You might not remember the details, Pooja...you were very young when Padmé passed… officially she was killed in Corsican during the fall of the Jedi… that's the story the public was told… but we knew the truth...or at least part of it… she died during childbirth…" Sola spoke each sentence as if struggling to keep her composure. "But we never learnt of the faith of the child or who the father was."

"Children." Pooja quickly corrected, her eyes widening further, "if you are really aunt Padme's daughter, that would also make Luke Skywalker her son as well!"

"So it does." Leia responded sadly, Luke should have been besides her, speaking to Sola and Pooja, finally learning the truth about their mother.

"I can't believe this!" Exclaimed Pooja. "The legendary Leia Organa and Luke Skywalker are my cousins!"

"And, at least one of them, has finally made it home." Said Sola, smiling warmly at her niece.

Ben rested his hand on the cold marble sarcophagus, the red and blue veins that naturally entwined around each other made patterns beyond imaging. It was a miracle the mausoleum had survived the past decades of war, vergely intact. Exotic plants merged the magnificent building into its surrounding, binding the doors shut, but that was a small obstacle for him and his companion.

Dust and the smell of moulded flowers filled the air of the tomb, torches, beyond use hung by the entrance but, to their surprise they hadn't needed it. The tomb was awash with natural light, in hues of green and blue, as it passed through a breathaking stained glass window portraying a beautiful woman, in an exquisite headdress and robes. Even in its unused state, the mausoleum would have been worthy of a queen.

Rey walked quietly around the tomb, leaving a trail in the dust where her hand touched its cold surface. She stopped at its foot, gently rubbing away the dust to reveal engraved words before looking up at Ben. Gone was his uniform, he was now dressed as a prince of Alderaan, in a dark blue jacket and neat dark trousers.

Ben wasn't looking at her but she still felt her cheeks warm, over the last weeks she'd never have thought she'd be standing in a place like this with Ben, with her heart racing every time he cast a glance her way.

"There's an engraving, " she half whispered, her voice magnified by the height and size of the room. Clearing her throat she began to read the neatly written words, "Here lies Padmé Amidala Naberrie. 25,007- 25034 csc. 33rd Queen of Naboo, Galactic Senator. Beloved daughter to Ruwee and Jobal Naberrie, sister of Sola Naberrie…"

"Wife of the Jedi Knight, Anakin Skywalker," Ben interrupted, causing her to stop and look up. She could feel him behind her, his warm breath sending shots of electricity up her spine. She turned slightly so she could she his scarred face, his eyes rich with emotion. He was not reading the message, he was stating what should have been there and was finally being said at the final resting place of a great woman. "Mother of heroes, Luke Skywalker and Leia Organa Solo… and grandmother of Ben and Adeline Solo."

"Even when faced with the darkest of despair, hope shines bright and true." Rey finished reading and it was only then did Ben raise his eyes to meet hers. She gave him a reassuring smile, turning to place a gentle hand on his cheek . "She sounds like she was a great woman."

"Yes…" Ben slowly answered, putting a strong arm around her and pulling her closer, not wanting to let her go. Rey's eyes momentarily fell on the metal brace around his ankle, a tracking device. Leia had pulled many strings for him to be able to visit Naboo but that didn't mean he'd escaped the New Galactic Senate's justice. But she shook her head, she didn't care what judgment fell upon the older man, she knew she'd stand beside him no matter what.

"It seems your family is really made of legends," observed Rey, teasingly, gently resting her head on his shoulder as she reread the inscription

"So it seems," Ben looking up at the stained glass that washed them in its calming colours. "It's good that we came here... the cycle has closed, this Skywalker Saga can end here." As he spoke, his deep voice washing over her, Rey felt a gentle shifting in the Force.

"Grandfather…"

The scavenger looked up to see a ghostly figure standing at the head of the sarcophagus, barely visible against the light. A tall handsome man with piercing eyes and a scar across his face and a mischievous smile.

Rey looked up at Ben in surprise and Anakin Skywalker nodded his approval. "So the one behind him must be…" Rey turned back to the man, who looked a bit confused at her words before Anakin turned to see the second ghost emerge from the shadows- a beautiful woman whose hair was pulled back in multiple braids, and in a simple white dress.

"Padme…" Anakin's voice rode the Force as the woman gave him a lovely smile and he took a step towards her.

"Yes, the cycle has finally closed." Whispered Ben, as Anakin and Padme vanished into the Force together, finally reunited.

 **And that's a wrap! Thank you so much for reading and I hope you all enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Thanks so much for all your awesome reviews and being just great readers in general. This coming summer I'm planning to write a few more stories linked to this one mainly a Kylo origins story, Jacen Syndulla adventure and how Ahsoka ended up on Illum- so stay tuned!. Once again thanks for everything- LunaPendragon :)**

 **ALSO I realised this might cause a confusion but Adeline is Ben's sister who died (I mentioned her, not by name, a while back) and is definitely not Rey :P**


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